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The program is represented by a new pink-accented van that will soon make trips around the city. The van’s routes will focus on specific neighborhoods with high percentages of uninsured or underinsured patients and African-American women, who have a higher rate of deaths from breast cancer.
The new service is paid for by Pink Aid, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping uninsured or underinsured women throughout Fairfield County survive breast cancer treatment. The organization was founded by Andrew Mitchell of Westport.
"The thought of any woman not being able to get to treatment because she doesn’t have the means is unimaginable,” said Norwalk Hospital Foundation board member and Pink Aid board member Amy Katz of Westport. “If we can give as many women as possible the emotional support they need and provide services to get screened and for treatment if necessary, then we have made a real difference in our community.”
Through grants to organizations such as the Norwalk Hospital Foundation, Pink Aid provides mammograms, testing, wigs, recovery garments, meals, childcare, transportation to treatment and help covering personal expenses to patients. The Norwalk Hospital program will also include supermarket gift cards for some patients.
For the project, Norwalk Hospital will work with the Norwalk Community Health Center to reach the latter’s clientele. NCHC will coordinate appointments for its clients to get screenings through the van program and will help arrange treatments for patients if something is found.
“Every woman deserves access to quality medical care,” said Mary Franco, president of the Norwalk Hospital Foundation. “With breast cancer so prevalent in our community, our hope is to remove barriers for women, making it easy and convenient for them to get to their annual mammograms.”
Those interested in signing up for an appointment can contact the Norwalk Community Health Center at 203-899-1770.
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