NeighborHealth hosted a two-day series of community events on October 13 and 14 in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, bringing breast health education, preventive care and no-cost mammograms for eligible patients directly to its East Boston and South End communities.
Held in partnership with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Ellie Fund, the events took place at NeighborHealth’s 10 Gove Street location in East Boston and 1601 Washington Street location in the South End. Along with mammograms, attendees enjoyed food, raffle prizes, giveaways and children’s activities in a welcoming, community-centered setting.
“Preventive care is most effective when it is accessible, trusted and rooted in the community,” said Mimi Gardner, Vice President and Chief of Community Partnerships at NeighborHealth. ” By bringing screening, education and support together in familiar neighborhood spaces, we are helping more people prioritize their health while reducing barriers to care.”
Across the two-day event, NeighborHealth provided a total of 16 no-cost mammograms. Eligible NeighborHealth patients were able to register in advance or visit during the events as walk-ins. Community members who were new to NeighborHealth could also enroll in advance or be connected with a primary care provider onsite to become eligible for a no-cost mammogram.
“Early detection is critical when it comes to breast cancer,” said Julio Mazul, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at NeighborHealth. “Routine screenings help identify concerns sooner, giving patients the best possible opportunity for successful treatment and long-term health. Early screening saves lives and we are committed to making these services available in the neighborhoods we serve.”
NeighborHealth, formerly East Boston Neighborhood Health Center, is one of the nation’s largest Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and the largest community-based primary care health system in Massachusetts, serving over 120,000 people and recognized by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) as a National Quality Leader. For more than 55 years, NeighborHealth has offered access to comprehensive primary care, specialty care and emergency care for patients in the Commonwealth. In a first-of-its-kind merger in 2020, East Boston Neighborhood Health Center joined forces with the South End Community Health Center and expanded services to patients who live and work in Boston’s South End and Roxbury neighborhoods. NeighborHealth champions innovative care models to actively bridge health equity gaps in our low-income and immigrant communities with services unique from other healthcare providers in our state. For more information, visit www.neighborhealth.com.
