Amber
Coalition
The
Amber Coalition received a generous donation from the Handzel
Open in 2006. The gift was generated from sponsors, players and founders of
the Tournament. It
helped to promote breast cancer awareness in the Metropolitan
Chicago Community, it provided funds to cover many
mammographies, it provided support for treatment of those who
could not afford the test. We, as members of Amber Coalition,
and representatives of those who received chances for a new
life acknowledge your contribution.
We are asking again for your support.
In
the U.S. today, there are many racial and ethnic
minorities who remain underserved, both medically and
socially. One of
the largest groups is the Polish American community of 9
million people, with the largest populations living in
metropolitan New York and Chicago areas.
In Poland, breast cancer occurs three times less
frequently than in the U.S. but still remains the most common
malignancy among women. Like
other immigrants, Polish women acquire a high risk of breast
cancer characteristics when they move to the U.S. and more
develop breast cancer. The rate of annual exams as well as utilization of
mammography is significantly lower in Polish immigrants when
compared to their American counterparts.
Amber
Coalition has
been established with multiple goals:
§
Promote health education within the Polish
Community
§
Increase awareness about breast cancer issues
§
Improve access to modern health care for
uninsured and people in need
§
Organize educational conferences for entire
community
§
Involve mass media in the annual promotional
program educating entire community about needs for personal;
health care
§
Provide and spread professional and up-dated
information about breast cancer
§
Provide a free breast exam for most the people
with the most need, and by doing this encourage other women to
seek a professional consult regarding their breast problems
§
Provide free or discounted mammograms for
uninsured low income people who can not afford to pay for
their tests
§
Provide an opportunity for young polish American
students to work for the Community, to develop interest in the
medical field
§
Provide opportunity to young physicians to be
involved in Community Programs and to get acquainted with
community problems
What
we have done over the last four years:
For
Polish Community:
§
Nine years of
aggressive promotion
§
Multiple radio talks, TV talk shows, multiple
newspapers and magazines articles about breast cancer issues
§
Educational programs in Polvision
§
Annual Education Conferences (BREAST FORUM) –
few thousands participants in Conferences at Illinois Masonic
Medical Center and in Dom Podhalan (Polish Highlanders
Cultural Center)
§
Having a group of most recognized physicians in
the Polish Community discuss
issues relevant to breast cancers
For individual patients:
§
Over one thousand patients were examined by
participating physicians free of charge
§
Free of charge mammographies were offered to
over 500 low income, uninsured women from Polish community
§
Diagnosis and initial treatment of over twenty
50 patients with breast cancers.
For improvement of our knowledge and identification of financial
resources:
§
Research: identification of cultural and
socio-economic factors influencing decisions about
mammographies in polish Community
§
Development of background scientific date to
apply for additional external funding by State/Federal
organizations to support the goals of Amber
Coalition.
The
intention of this program is to:
Ø
reach those who do not know or want to learn
more,
Ø
who can not afford breast screenings or
Ø
who have misperceptions about breast cancer.
The
project includes training opportunities for students and
medical residents in techniques of breast examination.
This project holds the promise of decreasing
disparities in breast screening for this underserved community
of Chicago residents.
We
have been very successful until now, however we need your help
in further and future development of the program.
You can become member of large coalition of people who
feel that health of our Mothers and Wives, Sisters and
Daughters, is not only major undertaking but also our
obligation.
Your support
will be appreciated by thousands who need your help.
Bank
Account:
Amber
Coalition
Bank
of America
3051
N. Clark Street
Chicago,
IL 60657
Account
# 001461 071000505 5201250478
If you need further information, please contact:
AMBER COALITION
Marek Rudnicki, MD, PhD, FACS
3000 N. Halsted, Suite 603
Chicago, IL 60657
Tel. 773-296-3838
Fax: 773-296-3833
Email: rudnicki@ambercoalition.org
rudnicki@gmail.com
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