On November 7, 2011, the Louisiana Rural Health Association (LRHA) named the Franklin Medical Center Breast Cancer Awareness Center the Outstanding Rural Health Program of the Year Award. This prestigious award recognizes a regional or statewide program that increases access to health care services in rural areas. The Louisiana Rural Health Association received five nominees in this category demonstrating the outstanding programs being offered throughout rural Louisiana.
The Franklin Medical Center (FMC) Breast Cancer Awareness Program offers digital mammography to the citizens of Franklin, Tensas, and Catahoula parishes. Prior to the formation of the FMC’s Breast Cancer Awareness Program, women in the central part of the parish faced driving a minimum of twenty-five miles to obtain mammography services. In addition to bringing the mammography machine to this area, FMC launched a tri-parish educational campaign encouraging early detection and breast cancer awareness. The FMC Breast Cancer Awareness Program reached out to employees of local agencies to offer mammograms with no out-of-pocket expense. In an effort to increase breast cancer awareness, they partnered with the Old Post Office Museum to host a breast cancer awareness gala and art competition. The program solicited artwork from local breast cancer survivors as a means for them to tell their stories and promote early detection. To date, over 400 mammograms have been performed. The FMC Breast Cancer Awareness Program is positive impact in the fight against breast cancer.
The dedication of the FMC Breast Cancer Awareness Program to increasing access to healthcare services in their rural community stands proof that these programs are not only leaders within their community, but also across the state of Louisiana.
Mark Spence