As part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, two local businesses organized fundraising activities for the Brattleboro Memorial Hospital Oncology Department and Comprehensive Breast Care Program.
Robin White and her staff at Curves of Brattleboro held a Zumba dance party on October 30th, with the help of local Zumba instructors, Maribeth Fonda and Rachel Shaw. More than 30 women danced for over 2 hours to raise awareness and support for women battling breast disease. Three of the participating women, who raised over $500 each, received a free one-year membership to Curves. The event raised $3,719 and will be used to support BMH breast cancer patients by providing wigs, bras, breast prostheses, books and materials, groceries and gas cards to help women through treatment and recovery. “I wanted all the money to go to local women facing this disease head on,” said White.
Continuing with their six-year long tradition, Larry Enright and his staff of Enright and Company Salon decked out their salon in pink and spent the month of October focused on raising awareness about breast cancer while also raising funds for BMH. They raised a total of $894 by raffling off gift baskets of salon products, as well as through the sale of pink hair extensions. All the proceeds of their fundraising efforts will go to the BMH Oncology Department.
“We’re so grateful for these gifts of support from our community,” said Kelly McCue, DNP, RN, Program manager for BMH’s Oncology Department and Comprehensive Breast Care Program. “These funds help our patients cover the extraordinary costs of breast cancer treatment and recovery and helps the hospital provide them with the resources they need to eliminate barriers to optimum health.”
BMH’s Comprehensive Breast Care Program offers a continuum of services, from preventative outreach and screening, advanced diagnostics, genetic testing, treatment and the latest surgical techniques as well as post-treatment follow up and survivorship supports. As part of the large and growing field of identifying and managing women at high risk of developing breast cancer, the program provides breast cancer risk assessment, high risk screening, prevention therapy and counseling. Referral to certified genetic counselors and genetic testing are provided for those individuals who are at high risk. A Breast Care Nurse Navigator is available as a resource for patients and their families to answer questions, assess specialists, and coordinate additional services.
