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Libby Pataki gives $250K for Jamaica mammograms

By Courtney Dentch

Mary Immaculate Hospital in Jamaica received $250,000 to enhance its mobile mammography unit as part of a $1.25 million government grant to increase breast cancer detection across the state, according to a news release from Gov. George Pataki’s office.

First lady Libby Pataki was on hand at the hospital, at 152-11 89th Ave., to present the grant last Thursday on behalf of the governor. The funds awarded to Mary Immaculate could increase access to mammography services for an additional 3,120 women in Queens and Brooklyn, according to the news release.

The money will be used to purchase larger mobile units that have separate examination rooms, mammography machines, suites and X-ray film processors right on board. The new vans will supplement the mobile mammography outreach services Mary Immaculate Hospital has been providing since 1997.

The vans have been successfully used to bring breast cancer screenings to women who live in isolated areas or who cannot travel to health centers. The vans also travel to convenient locations such as senior citizen centers or neighborhood health clinics.

The grant comes about right before the American Cancer Society’s annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer fund-raiser.

In Queens, the walk to raise money for education, research and treatment is scheduled for Saturday at Queens Borough Hall at 120-55 Queens Blvd. in Kew Gardens.

Registration for the event starts at 9:30 a.m., and the walk is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. For more information, call the ACS at 263-2224, or visit www.cancer.org.