Download breast care for washington is open!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Beth Beck, Executive Director, 202-253-0397
BREAST CARE FOR WASHINGTON IS OPEN!
Access to State-of-the-Art Breast Screening, Diagnostics and Patient Care in Underserved
Ward 8
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 15, 2014) –Breast Care for Washington (BCW) celebrates its
grand opening today, during National Women’s Health Week, at the new Conway Health and
Resource Center in Ward 8. Located in a primary care health center, the full-service breast
center will include 3D mammography screening, diagnostic imaging and patient navigation
for women with breast cancer. While aimed at providing care to all D.C. women, the center
will focus on women in Wards 7 and 8, where access to services is limited.
BCW is the first and only facility to provide comprehensive breast screening services using
state-of-the-art 3D mammography technology east of the Anacostia River. Hologic’s 3D
mammography is proven to detect cancers earlier when they are easiest to treat, reduce
unnecessary callbacks and follow-up tests, and benefit women with dense breasts. In
addition, the center will offer a full array of breast health services, including breast
ultrasound and minimally invasive biopsy capabilities.
Armed with a mission to reduce the breast cancer mortality in the Washington, D.C. area,
BCW’s co-founders – Dr. Regina Hampton, a highly regarded breast surgeon, and Beth Beck,
M.A., CHES, the former executive director of Capital Breast Care Center of Georgetown
Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center – have succeeded in opening the organization’s
first permanent center.
“Our vision is now reality,” said Dr. Regina Hampton, co-founder and chair of the board of
directors. “Through the help of our founding sponsors, partnership with Community of
Hope, and the vision of our amazing team, comprehensive, quality breast care is within
reach for all women in the city. All women are encouraged to use our services– those with
and without insurance..”
“Our goal is simple: to make access to breast cancer screening simple and provide quality
care within the community,” said Beth Beck, co-founder and president/CEO of Breast Care
for Washington. “We need a new and different approach to breast cancer screening if we are
serious about making an impact on the health outcomes in the District of Columbia. Breast
Care for Washington is the organization to do just that.”
BCW’s new facility was made possible through a partnership with Community of Hope and
donations and grants from founding sponsors, including the Avon Foundation for Women,
CareFirst, Hologic Inc. and MagView. Additional support was provided by The Clark
Charitable Foundation. Each entity’s contribution assisted in making BCW the first
organization in the metropolitan D.C. area to provide comprehensive breast screening
services within a primary care setting.
The 3D mammography technology, donated by Hologic, gives radiologists the ability to view
inside the breast layer by layer, helping to see the fine details more clearly by minimizing
overlapping tissue. While 3D mammograms are beneficial to all women, they are especially
helpful in allowing doctors to screen for cancer in those with dense breast tissue. BCW will
also employ a patient navigator who will ensure patients obtain the appropriate follow-up
care and treatment when breast abnormalities or cancer is discovered.
For more information on Breast Care for Washington or to schedule an appointment call
202-465-7164 or visit breastcaredc.org.
###
About Breast Care for Washington, D.C.
Breast Care for Washington (BCW) is a newly incorporated non-profit community-centered
breast cancer screening organization. Founded in 2012, BCW aims to enhance access to
breast cancer care and treatment among medically underserved women in the greater
Washington, D.C. area. Dr. Regina Hampton, a co-founder and current Board President is the
only dedicated breast surgeon in Prince George’s County, MD. BCW’s founders and founding
Board of Directors have extensive experience in medical care, building quality health
networks, and patient advocacy. Joined by a common goal to make breast cancer screening
readily available and accessible, they formed BCW with the mission to reduce breast cancer
mortality in the Washington, D.C. area by promoting access to breast cancer screening,
diagnostics, and treatment to all women regardless of their ability to pay.
For more information on Breast Care for Washington or to donate, visit breastcaredc.org or
call (202) 465-7164.