Jacobs Secures Funding for Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center

(Buffalo, NY) – New York State Senator Chris Jacobs announced that he has secured $50,000 in Women’s Health funding through the New York State Budget for Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.  The funding will be used to conduct cancer outreach activities and breast cancer screenings in disparate communities across the 60^th Senate District and throughout Western New York. 

“I am so pleased to be able to partner with Roswell Park and provide funding for this critically important cancer education and prevention initiative,” said Senator Jacobs.  “While breast cancer affects 1 in 8 women, we know that early detection saves lives, and that is why this outreach and these screenings are so important.”

The funds will support Roswell Park’s early detection and outreach initiatives targeted to medically under-served urban and rural communities in Western New York, and will include a series of public events offering information on breast cancer risk, early detection and preventive health. Evidence shows that, while annual mammograms are recommended by leading health organizations for women aged 40 to 74 years, mammography use is substantially lower for certain subgroups, such as low-income women, women without health insurance and women without a usual source of care.

“We recognize how important it is to share information about cancer screening, early detection and prevention so people can make informed choices for themselves and their families,” said Roswell Park President and CEO Candace S. Johnson, PhD.  “These state funds secured by Senator Jacobs will help us to reach even more families with resources that may help them to survive or even prevent a disease that continues to take more than 40,000 U.S. lives every year, and whose impact is especially pronounced among African-Americans and in low-income communities.”

Earlier this year during the state budget process, Jacobs was a strong advocate for the addition of $5 million in new funding for women’s health initiatives, with $1.8 million being dedicated for cancer education, prevention and treatment services.  

Four public events are currently scheduled to take place Tuesday, August 14^th in the Town of Tonawanda at the Brighton Volunteer Fire Company, 50 Jamaica Road, Tonawanda, 14150; Tuesday, August 21^st in the Town of Evans at the Lake Erie Beach Volunteer Fire Company, 9483 Lake Shore Road, Angola, 14006; Wednesday, October 17^th in the City of Buffalo at the Northwest Buffalo Community Center, 155 Lawn Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14207; and  Saturday, October 20^th in the Town of Hamburg at the Blasdell Volunteer Fire Department, 121 Miriam Avenue, Blasdell, NY 14219.

For more information, or to reserve a spot for one of these outreach sessions, please contact Senator Jacobs’ office at (716) 854-8705 or jacobs@nysenate.gov.