CHICAGO, IL – October 10, 2016 – In support of Breast Cancer
Awareness Month, The Loretto Hospital, in collaboration with local Austin-area
businesses, launched its”Paint Austin Pink!” Breast Cancer
Initiative during its after work networking for a cause event, “Paint
Austin Pink Kick-Off Reception” on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016, in the
hospital’s 6th floor auditorium. The purpose of the program is to
increase the mammography screening rates among women in the Austin community,
as well as to bring attention to the huge disparity deaths on the west
side of Chicago.
The first program of its kind at Loretto, “Paint Austin Pink!”
will serve as an education and outreach initiative to raise awareness
about breast cancer, its impact on women in the African American community,
and the importance of early detection. In addition, the program will run
concurrently with Loretto’s signature $50 Mammogram Program. Speakers
at the kick-off event included: The Loretto Hospital’s President, CEO
and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sonia Mehta; Lydia Wilson, Metropolitan
Chicago Breast Cancer Task Force; Amara Enyia, JD, PhD, public consultant,
Austin Chamber of Commerce; Mary Rinder, director of diagnostic imaging,
Loretto Hospital; and Angela K. Waller, community relations manager, Loretto Hospital.
Waller is a 10-year breast cancer survivor and will head up the outreach
for “Paint Austin Pink!” in the community. She said, “The
goal of the program is to increase awareness of breast cancer screening
in the Austin community and the additional services available in the Women’s
Imaging Program at The Loretto Hospital.”
Breast cancer is a disease in which malignant cells form in the tissue
of the breast and is the second leading cause of death among women. According
to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc., 1 in 8 women in the United
States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. Each year,
it is estimated that more than 246,660 women in the Unites States will
be diagnosed and more than 40,000 will die. According to the Metropolitan
Chicago Breast Cancer Task Force, the Austin community has one of the
highest breast cancer mortality rates in Chicago.
“It’s important for The Loretto Hospital to create initiatives
such as Paint Austin Pink specifically because of the disparities that
exist in the African American community, which makes up a significant
part of our patient population. We know that limited access to quality
screening and treatment, in addition to the larger number of late stage
diagnosis contribute to the disparities,” Waller said.
For more information about The Loretto Hospital’s “Paint Austin
Pink!” Initiative, contact Angela K. Waller, community relations
manager, at 773-854-5275 or via email at
angela.waller@lorettohospital.org. To learn more about The Loretto Hospital’s $50 Mammogram Program or
to schedule an appointment, call 773-854-5233.
About The Loretto Hospital
The Loretto Hospital is a not-for-profit hospital, community-based hospital
located in Austin, the largest community in Chicago. Loretto is the only
hospital in the Austin community and is the largest nongovernment employer
in the Austin community. The hospital has more than 600 staff, comprising
of 170 physicians and 300 nursing professionals. Although the largest
percentage of the hospital’s patients resides in Austin and Garfield
Park, neighboring suburban communities also utilize Loretto as a healthcare
resource. For more information, please visit
www.lorettohospital.org.