PPSNE In the Race for Women's Health at Annual Komen Connecticut Race for the Cure
For Immediate Release: Jan. 30, 2014
Planned Parenthood of Southern New England participates in the 2012 Komen Connecticut Race for the Cure in Hartford to demonstrate that the fight for women’s health continues
(New Haven, CT) Planned Parenthood of Southern New England’s (PPSNE) board members, employees and their family and friends participated in the 2012 Komen Connecticut Race for the Cure and won another opportunity to share the importance of standing for women’s health with the community. The race, held at Bushnell Park, Trinity Street, Hartford, Connecticut began and ended in the rain, but that did not stop the PPSNE team of 34 with T-shirts that said, “PPSNE & Komen: Bosom Buddies.”
“Not even the pouring rain can keep Planned Parenthood from standing for women’s health,” stated Judy Tabar President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southern New England. “We are proud of the work we have done with Komen CT for many years to educate our communities; and we will continue to support each other to reduce the mortality rates of breast cancer.”
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer in American women; and cancer is the second leading cause of death among all females in the nation. According to a 2010 study published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Connecticut has the second highest incidence of breast cancer in the nation. Because of this, PPSNE and Komen CT have worked together to ensure all women have access to breast health education, screenings, and referrals for mammograms – lifesaving care for women where Planned Parenthood may be their only source of health care.
Planned Parenthood of Southern New England has received $160,000 over the past six years from Komen CT for both education and health services. This funding has supported outreach work and provided over 950 mammograms and 69 ultrasounds to women. The central goal is to reduce deaths from breast cancer among women of color in the greater Bridgeport area, and to reduce disparities in breast cancer mortality rates between white, Hispanic and African American women by raising awareness and eliminating financial obstacles to getting screened and treated.
In Connecticut, Planned Parenthood provides services to over 63,000 patients and PPSNE clinicians perform over 15,000 clinical breast exams annually. In coordination with other community providers, PPSNE ensures mammograms, ultrasounds and diagnostic breast health services have been provided to our patients regardless of their income. Furthermore, Planned Parenthood of Southern New England’s 19 health centers in Connecticut and Rhode Island offer a wide range of preventive health services, including lifesaving cancer screenings, birth control, diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections, the HPV vaccine, and sexual health information and education.
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Planned Parenthood of Southern New England is one of the region’s largest providers of family planning and reproductive health care services, with 19 health centers in Connecticut and Rhode Island, delivering care to nearly 70,000 patients annually, and 90 percent of the services provided are preventive. For 95 years, Planned Parenthood Federation of America has provided health care and family planning services to women and men across the country. One in five American women has received care from a Planned Parenthood health center during her lifetime, and last year three million patients came to one of our more than 800 health centers.
*PHOTO: Anne Morris Executive Director Komen Connecticut and Judy Tabar President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southern New England are surrounded by members of the PPSNE & Komen: Bosom Buddies race team which includes PPSNE board members, employees and their family and friends.