Order FREE Educational Materials NOW for the Fall
|
Fall is fast approaching, and National Breast Cancer Awareness Month is October! Each year, VBCF distributes up to 75,000 FREE brochures to educate Virginians about breast cancer. Each brochure has a pink ribbon attached which can be worn for awareness. We depend on volunteers to help us attach the pink ribbons to the brochures. Brochures are available in English and Spanish and other giveaway items (pink ribbon stickers, pens, etc) are also available with a minimal donation to help cover costs.
|
Thank you to our many 2017 brochure pink ribbon assembler volunteers!
Bank of America group led by Janett Wright, Kacie Bradley, Capitol One group led by Kelly McCullough, Emily Dai, Meredith Deles, Cannon Diradour, Joyce Easter, First African Church-Cheryl Chandler, The Grafton School, Beth Hardy, Henrico County Mental Health Skill Building Team, Jordan Jennings, Nannie Johnson, Linda Leigh, Jennifer Mahoney, Crystal and Brooke Moore, Jenna Morin, Joan Pietruszkiewicz, Kellie Rhodes, Kayla Sawyer, Viju Singh and her many friends and helpers, Alecia Underwood, and Malena Zelenko
|
Nominate a Virginia Provider for the 2017 Kohlenberg Healthcare Service Award
VBCF’s Sharon H. Kohlenberg Healthcare Service Award recognizes an individual or team practicing in Virginia in the healthcare service field who exhibits a deep and abiding commitment to the fight against breast cancer. Honoring the memory of Sherry Kohlenberg, a healthcare administrator and founder of VBCF, the award is extended annually to a practitioner or team who goes above and beyond the normal expectations of their job. The deadline for nominations is Friday, September 15, 2017.
|
VBCF volunteers hosted the Becky’s Place education tent at the Remote Area Medical (RAM) Clinic in Wise County July 21-23. This clinic is the largest RAM held in Virginia and gives thousands of people what is perhaps their only opportunity to go to the doctor or dentist for the entire year. Thank you to the volunteers and all who supported their efforts with donations to provide cancer and chronic disease health education in far southwest Virginia!
Click here for an NYT article on this year’s RAM
.
|
2017 Library Grants Awarded
Congratulations to this year’s library grant recipients - Fauquier County Public Library, Hampton Public Library, Henrico County Public Library, Lonesome Pine Regional Library, and Russell County Public Library! Through this program, VBCF has provided more than $63,000 to 45 library systems over 10+ years, helping to purchase breast health books, e-books, DVDs, and periodicals to update local library shelves.
|
Summer District Visits with State Legislators
|
VBCF has met with several Virginia state legislators this summer including Delegates Aird (63rd) and Bagby (74th) and Senators Deeds (25th) and Howell (32rd) and plans to meet in August with Senators Dunnavant (12th), and Sturtevant (10th). The focus of these meetings is a discussion of VBCF’s priority issues of
medical marijuana, step therapy, and Medicaid expansion. We appreciate these opportunities with our elected officials!
|
National Advocacy
Health Care Showdown - The U.S. Senate’s failure to pass legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Healthcare Act (ACA) last week was good news for Virginians battling breast cancer and others with pre-existing conditions. All of the legislation considered would have left millions of Americans either without health insurance or struggling to afford health care. Moving forward, VBCF supports a bipartisan approach to reforming our existing system and will continue to monitor developments in health care policy. For the latest, follow VBCF on Facebook.
Action Needed: Breast Cancer Research in Jeopardy - The Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program (DoD BCRP) funds innovative, high-impact research on breast cancer through a partnership of scientists and consumers. This program is in jeopardy again this year due to problematic language added to the bill that authorizes its 2018 funding - The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Fortunately, Senators Durbin and Blunt introduced amendment #592 to remove the harmful language.
VBCF is grateful to Virginia Senator Mark Warner for co-sponsoring this amendment to preserve the DoD BCRP. Action item: Please call Senator Tim Kaine and ask him to co-sponsor the Durbin-Blunt NDAA Medical Research Amendment # 592 and support the amendment when it comes to the floor for a vote. Senator Tim Kaine: 202-224-4024 www.kaine.senate.gov/contact
If you do call, let us know by using our Advocacy Activity tracker.
|
If you would like to actively support important breast cancer legislation at the
state and national level, sign up for VBCF’s Advocacy Alerts. These brief
email alerts are sent periodically - when your advocacy is needed the most.
The Alerts will keep you up to date with the latest breast cancer legislation
and provide the tools and information you need to take action.
|
D.W. Cary Hauling in Ashland,VA hosted Family Fun Day for their employees earlier this month and collected donations at the event to support VBCF's programs. Thank you for your generous contribution!
|
|