Digital mammography fundraising nears goal

Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Joseph Cyr
HEALTH SERVICES — The Health Services Foundation held a luncheon last month to discuss its ongoing digital mammography fund-raising campaign. Taking part are, front from left, Walter Goodrich, Foundation vice president; Dr. Robert Ellis, Foundation president; Elizabeth Dulin, Foundation executive director; Cathy Kennedy and Dr. Donald Woods; and back, Janice Peabody, Foundation assistant; Jackie White, Kim Hazlett, Pam Hocking and JoAnn Dunphy.
By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
    HOULTON — The Health Services Foundation has spent the past year raising money to bring new state-of-the-art digital mammography technology to Houlton and is nearing its goal.
    With October serving as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Foundation is hoping to reach its goal of raising $375,000 for the new technology, while also continuing to raise awareness for breast cancer.
    “For women and men facing the reality of a new breast cancer diagnosis, having access to the latest mammography technology is significant, since it gives physicians detailed information about the size and location of abnormalities, said Elizabeth Dulin, executive director of the Foundation. “The fact is that the earlier anyone is diagnosed with breast cancer, the better their chance of surviving it. Digital mammography means a quicker processing of images, and makes screening more efficient for the patient and the hospital. A state-of-the-art Digital Imaging System will allow for superior imaging and better detection of abnormalities at an earlier stage, and will save lives.”
    The origin of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month began in 1985 as a global health campaign aimed at increasing awareness about breast cancer and raising funds for research into prevention and cures, and during that time providing a base of information and support to those affected by breast cancer. As a result of this beginning, events of every shape and size are organized and held to bring people together, to remember those who have lost their lives to the disease and to celebrate those who have defeated it, all the while raising money for an extraordinary cause.
    On Sept. 21. 2010, the Health Services Foundation Board of Trustees voted to accept the digital mammography fund-raising project for Houlton Regional Hospital. The Foundation did a similar fund-raising effort in 2001 to purchase the current mammography equipment which was state-of-the-art at the time.
    “Breast cancer is a disease that frightens, can kill and until a cure is found being proactive in fundraising for this vitally needed equipment/service is something the Foundation needs to do to once again bring Houlton Regional Hospital into the state-of-the-art digital era for mammography screenings,” Dulin said. “This very serious health care issue will have the Foundation fundraising in support of a campaign to provide for the purchase of state-of-the-art digital mammography equipment, allowing for much earlier breast cancer detection.”
    The goal of the Foundation is to raise $375,000 to cover the cost of equipment and other expenses. To date, the group has raised $250,000.
    Kim Hazlett of Houlton, a 17-year cancer survivor, said the new technology will take much of the worries out of the patient, particularly in terms of getting a diagnosis more quickly.
    “To have this technology here in Houlton will be incredible,” she said. “We already have digital technology like CAT scans and MRIs for other issues, but we don’t have anything new for breast cancer.”
    Digital mammography technology exists in Presque Isle and Bangor, which means local patients must travel if they need to have a more complete scan performed.
    “It’s a cleaner, clearer type of image that accounts for different types of cells,” added JoAnn Dunphy, also a cancer survivor.
    According to the group’s website, “the Health Services Foundation is composed of a volunteer Board of Trustees in Northern Maine that serves without compensation. Current officers and members are community spirited leaders serving the greater Houlton area. Paramount to our organization are grants given in support of the Foundation’s Mission of “Excellence in Healthcare” to all the communities we serve. Grant giving is essential to the quality and progress of our local hospital, non-profit health centers/organizations where financial healthcare assistance will be beneficial.”
    To date, the Foundation has dispersed $1,778,537 to charitable campaigns, dating back to 1988. In 2010, the group successfully raised $602,000 to purchase state-of-the-art Nuclear Medicine Imaging Equipment and assisted with the expansion/renovation of the current radiology department.
    “Given the rural nature of our Maine communities, it is imperative that health care options available for those we serve be supported by state-of-the-art technology, and other health care-related projects and programs,” Dulin said.
    Global awareness brings vital information and support to those affected by breast cancer, however, the Health Services Foundation must play a big part in ensuring our local hospital has the needed equipment to promote improved healthcare regarding this very serious disease to all those we serve.
    The Health Services Foundation plays a big part to do everything it can to promote women and men’s health regarding this very serious disease by bringing the very best possible equipment to our rural area.
    “Given the rural nature of the northern Maine communities that Houlton Regional Hospital serves, the Foundation is extremely sensitive to requests presented to us by the hospital, as we know they cannot always meet the pressing health care issues/equipment needs they are confronted with almost daily,” Dulin said.
    The new digital mammography equipment will assist in patient care by reducing patient exam time, allowing medical institutions to examine more patients who need mammograms. In addition, the technology helps decrease patient callbacks, and offers a comprehensive view of the entire breast area. The digital mammography system displays high quality patient images in seconds, providing technologists with quick verification of correct patient positioning.
    Digital mammography offers practical advantages over film screen mammography by improving contrast, and the use of advanced computer and electronic technologies to manipulate the image in order to better see certain breast tumors that are currently difficult to visualize on film screen mammography systems. It also works with denser breast tissue, which is found in younger patients, including children.