WVU Cancer Center receives $400,000 grant from Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation has awarded the West Virginia University Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center $400,000 over two years to help support access to breast cancer screening and treatment for women across West Virginia.
The Benedum grant will help develop ways for breast cancer patients to receive needed treatment through a new statewide clinical trials research network in conjunction with the startup of Bonnie’s Bus, a new statewide mobile mammography program.
"We are very thankful to receive funds from the Benedum Foundation,” said Dr. Scot Remick, director of the Cancer Center. “Their investment will allow us to greatly improve the health of West Virginians by working with partners across the state."
"This grant is part of Benedum's vision of improved health in West Virginia by calling attention to the issues, shifting the focus to prevention and improving access to care,” said Benedum Foundation Vice President Beverly Railey Robinson. "Dr. John Prescott (former dean of the WVU School of Medicine) introduced me to Dr. Remick, which resulted in an exciting conversation about what will truly have an impact on rural health, disease prevention issues, and healthcare infrastructure. The Benedum Foundation is pleased to be part of this statewide initiative."
"We are able to build on the extraordinary opportunity given us by the gift of Jo and Ben Statler to roll out the Bonnie's Bus digital mobile mammography program statewide this fall,” Dr. Remick added. “We are especially excited about the opportunity this provides to jumpstart the first ever statewide clinical trials network. With West Virginia cancer mortality rates the third highest in the nation and communities like McDowell County reported to have the seventh highest breast cancer mortality in the country, the Cancer Center is keeping its focus on overcoming health disparities and providing the best care to patients and families."
With more than 29,000 patient visits in 2007, the Cancer Center is the premier cancer treatment and research facility in West Virginia and the surrounding Appalachian region.
For more information about the Cancer Center, visit www.hsc.wvu.edu/mbrcc/.