By Scott Mitchell Johnson
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — Healthy Aroostook’s breast and cervical cancer awareness program recently received a $15,000 grant from the Maine Cancer Foundation.
According to Jo-Ellen Kelley, community education specialist for Healthy Aroostook, a Healthy Maine Partnership and program of Aroostook County Action Program, the grant will be used to provide education, encouragement, resources and opportunities to increase Aroostook County women’s knowledge about preventative care and healthy lifestyles.
“We’ll be looking to help women in areas where there aren’t health centers; more in the rural communities where access is limited,” said Kelley, “and providing them information on things such as smoking cessation, proper nutrition and screenings.”
Kelley said Healthy Aroostook has been doing its part to educate women all along.
“At TAMC we did a cancer symposium, and we were at the University of Maine at Presque Isle at the Affordable Care Act breakfast and we’ve also put up posters in the communities,” she said. “Probably come fall when all the festivals wind down, we’ll start looking at collaborating with other organizations and maybe do some mini health fairs in these smaller communities.”
Carol Bell, project director of Healthy Aroostook, said the grant would help “reduce barriers that women in rural communities often face including transportation and lack of knowledge.”
“This grant will also provide them the opportunity to attend a physical activity, nutrition, or smoking cessation class without cost and in their community, which for many is within their comfort zone,” she said.
“The grant will help us do a lot of good work,” said Bell, noting that funding is sometimes reduced in rural areas. “There’s not as much promotion out there on some of these services that are free or low cost, so it helps get the awareness out there so more people can get screened as a preventative aspect of their health.”
The Maine Cancer Foundation recently awarded more than $1.3 million in grant funding for cancer research, education and patient support programs statewide.
“We feel very fortunate to be able to increase the number of grants we awarded this year,” said Tara Hill, executive director of the Maine Cancer Foundation. “By funding 32 different organizations, we’re adopting a comprehensive approach to fighting cancer in Maine.”
This year’s grant recipients range across the state, from York County to Aroostook County and include all aspects of cancer, from laboratory research to patient transportation.
The Maine Cancer Foundation is already looking forward to 2014 and the next round of grants.
“We are honored that the people of Maine have trusted us with their support and their donations,” said Hill. “Thanks to various fundraisers, we will continue to seek out the most promising research and the most effective programs.”
For more on the Maine Cancer Foundation’s grant programs, log onto www.mainecancer.org. For information on Healthy Aroostook’s breast and cervical cancer awareness program, call Bell or Kelley at 1-800-432-7881.
