The Practice Extends Year-Round Partnership with NC Triangle Affiliate
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RALEIGH (June 6, 2012) – Today, Wake Radiology announced its continued commitment to the Komen NC Triangle Affiliate by renewing its involvement as a year-round partner. In this role, the practice will support multiple events held by Komen NC Triangle during the upcoming year and promote the organization’s educational and outreach efforts. This is Wake Radiology’s fourth consecutive year-round partnership and its sixth year sponsoring the area’s annual Komen NC Triangle Race for the Cure.
“We’re proud to support the Komen Race and our Triangle Affiliate’s work in 29 area counties where Komen-funded services are often the only breast-related healthcare programs for local women” said Kerry E. Chandler, MD, Director of Breast Imaging Services at Wake Radiology. “We know that quality screenings starting at age 40 make a difference, especially since the younger a women is, the faster a cancer can grow.”
Wake Radiology is the first practice in Raleigh to develop a comprehensive women’s imaging program. It’s commitment to women’s health is evident in that it’s the only multi-site group in the Triangle to earn recognition as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology (ACR) for all of its breast imaging offices.
All industry authorities – the Komen Foundation, the American Cancer Society and the ACR– recommend that women have their first mammogram at age 40 and then every year until age 75. During the past 30 years, the five-year survival rate for breast cancer has improved from 74 to 98 percent, in part from treatments developed with funding from Komen and because cases caught early are more treatable.
During this year’s Race for the Cure on Saturday, June 9, participants are encouraged to visit Wake Radiology’s booth on the lawn at Meredith College. Staff will be onsite to help women schedule their annual mammogram and share information about breast cancer screenings.
Also on race day, one of Wake Radiology’s radiologists, Dr. Karen Coates, who is also known as “Doctor Zumba,” will lead the more than 21,000 expected race goers in a warm-up at 7:15am on the main stage.
“Zumba® workouts are all about fun, camaraderie and fitness so the warm-up will set a good theme for the day,” said Coates. “It’s always amazing to see breast cancer warriors and their supporters – young and old, male and female – moving together and celebrating raising money and awareness for this special cause.”
The June 9 Race for the Cure is expected to raise more than $1.5 million. About 75 percent of the funds raised from this event will remain with the Komen NC Triangle Affiliate and support breast health research, education, screenings and treatment programs for uninsured or underinsured women. Since 1997, the Komen NC Triangle Affiliate has provided more than $13 million to over 250-community based programs focused on prevention, early detection and treatment support services to women living in their 20-county region.
For women in the US, breast cancer death rates are higher than any other cancer, besides lung cancer. It sits just behind skin cancer as the most commonly diagnosed cancer among American women. This year alone, more than 230,000 women are expected to be diagnosed with an invasive form of the disease and approximately 40,000 of them will die.
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Media Contact
Kim Parker
919-303-4458 (office)
kpparker@nullwakerad.com
About Wake Radiology
Wake Radiology proudly serves the Triangle area with 18 convenient locations and 55 board-certified radiologists with imaging subspecialties available at each location. The practice provides the most comprehensive radiology services coupled with the highest level of technical expertise and patient service in the area. For more information, visit wakerad.ionainteractive.com.
About Susan G. Komen for the Cure® and the Komen NC Triangle Affiliate
Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever, and in 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The NC Triangle Affiliate is part of the world’s largest and most progressive grassroots network fighting breast cancer. Up to 75 percent of net proceeds generated by the Affiliate stay in the Komen NC Triangle service area. The remaining 25 percent funds national breast cancer research. For more information, call 919-493-2873 or visit www.komennctriangle.org.