Marg Moody Reports:Breast Screening Program

Posted by Nestor Prisco

At the April 3 Rotary meeting, Marg Moody provided members with a Breast Screening Program update. Marg maintains an abiding interest in this community service project and shared a progress report with the club. Rotary's involvement in raising awareness for breast screening is outlined in this brief description.

In February, 1997, Dino Dottori and Chuck Olmsted, at a Rotary Club Council

Meeting, hi-lighted a headline in the Nugget which stated that the current mammography equipment did not meet the benchmark for an affiliate site of the OBSP in North Bay.
            Why was it important to have this clinic in North Bay? - a walk-in breast screening clinic for early detection of breast cancer in women 50+ years of age - no more out-of-town trips,reducing trauma, costs and inconvenience.  Recognizing a need in the community, Rotary launched a fund raising campaign to purchase a new mammography machine.
            Marg Moody was chosen to chair this campaign.   The goal was $190,000 to cover the new equipment and necessary renovations to the clinic facility. Mr. Dare Fowler/Boart Longyear presented a generous $50,000 cheque to jump start the campaign. Rotary appealed for public support to advance this very worthwhile program.   The response was immediate and generous.
            The hard working Moody Committee, through the generosity of the community, exceeded the goal by raising $220,000 in nine short months.   The official opening occurred in the Fall of 1997.  Moody said "we are overwhelmed by the support received by the many individuals, service organizations, other groups and businesses".    The acceptance of the clinic is equally rewarding. Moody provides annual updates to the club on the clinic which boasts a 97% client satisfaction rate.  Incentives are ongoing to encourage women to have an early detection mammogram.   Breast Screening - together we can save lives.

The successful breast screening clinic is part of Rotary's commitment to improved health care, treatment and state of the art facilities in North Bay and area.