$1.8M Grant Supports Life-Changing Cancer Services Across the Finger Lakes Region
The Center for Community Health and Prevention (CCHP), of the University of Rochester Medical Center, was recently awarded a $1.8 million grant by the New York State Department of Health that will expand its Cancer Services Program of Monroe County to the surrounding Seneca, Yates, Wayne, Ontario and Livingston counties, re-naming it the “Cancer Services Program of the Finger Lakes Region” (CSP-FLR).
The generous five-year grant will allow CCHP, the University of Rochester Medical Center and valued community partners to help even more eligible men and women throughout the region receive important cancer screenings and services, at minimal or no cost. With the expansion, Cancer Services Program of the Finger Lakes Region expects to reach more than 700 individuals over the next year.
“The six-county reach of the Cancer Services Program of the Finger Lakes Region will allow for more early detection, resulting in more lives saved,” said Nancy M. Bennett, M.D., M.S., Director of the Center for Community Health & Prevention. “The expansion helps us reach more underserved men and women, to share with them the benefits of early detection and increase access to screening.”
Part of a larger statewide initiative run by the New York State Department of Health’s Cancer Services Program, the Cancer Services Program of Monroe County has provided prevention and screening programs for a quarter of a century, serving uninsured and underinsured populations. Despite a new name and greater reach, the overall mission and values of the Cancer Services Program remain the same. The Cancer Services Program is comprehensive in cancer screening, education and navigation for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer patients. The program covers the cost of screenings and diagnostic tests for eligible individuals. Covered services include colon cancer screenings, mammograms, clinical breast exams, pelvic exams and pap tests.
“Finances should never be a barrier to care for any individual,” said Mark B. Taubman, M.D., CEO of the University of Rochester Medical Center. “We thank New York State through the support of Gov. Andrew Cuomo and our State Senate and Assembly for funding this important program, which provides patients throughout our region access to life-saving cancer screenings and treatments.”
Individuals who need assistance paying for cancer screenings or services can call the Cancer Services Program of the Finger Lakes Region at (585) 224-3070 or visit its website to learn more.