The Bobbie Nick Voss Charitable Funds has named Community Memorial Hospital's Cancer Care Center a beneficiary of its third annual Golf Classic on June 23. A grant of $56,000 will be used to provide screening colonoscopies to at-risk individuals without health insurance, and to fund a Community Health Educator who will raise awareness among the general public of colorectal cancer and the vital importance of early detection.
The Bobbie Nick Voss Charitable Funds was established in 2006 with a mission of making a difference through early detection of colorectal cancer. It was established in memory of Bobbie Nick Voss, a vibrant and active woman who was diagnosed with colon cancer at the age of 47. "She had a 33-year career in the automotive industry, was respected and loved by all who knew her, and had recently married when her cancer was discovered," said Julie Sellars, president of the Bobbie Nick Voss Charitable Funds. "She fought hard, but her cancer was too advanced by the time she was diagnosed, and she passed away at the age of 51." Despite maintaining a busy life and nurturing the relationships that sustained her through her illness, Bobbie made it her mission to spread the word on the importance of knowing colon cancer risk factors, signs and symptoms and getting routine colon cancer screenings. "The Bobbie Nick Voss Charitable Funds is committed to carrying on her fight and giving others the chance for a long, healthy life through the simple act of getting screened," said Sellars.
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. If detected and treated early, colorectal cancer has a five-year survival rate of 90 percent. As many as 60 percent of deaths from colorectal cancer could be prevented if everyone age 50 and older were screened regularly, but only 56 percent of all U.S. adults 50 years and older reported having a sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy within the past ten years. Among those without health insurance, the rate was only 25 percent.
"Clearly, much work needs to be done to raise awareness and about the importance of early screenings in prevention, early detection and successful treatment of colorectal cancer, and to overcome the fear, denial and embarrassment that prevent many people from getting colonoscopies that could save their lives," said Bob Nichols, director of Community Memorial Hospital's Cancer Care Center. "We are very excited about the opportunity to partner with the Bobbie Nick Voss Charitable Funds to educate and motivate people to schedule a colonoscopy and screen a number of uninsured, at-risk patients through our Community Outreach Health Clinic."
Kerry J. Freiberg, executive director of Community Memorial Foundation, said, "We are very grateful to the Bobbie Nick Voss Charitable Funds for its support in our efforts to raise awareness and impact behaviors to prevent and detect colorectal cancer in its early, most treatable stages. Together, we look forward to making significant improvements in the incidence and outcomes of colorectal cancer in our community."
The 2008 Bobbie Nick Voss Golf Classic will be held on Monday, June 23, at North Hills Country Club. The 2007 event raised $83,000 for colon cancer research, awareness, early detection and patient care. For more information, visit the Bobbie Nick Voss Charitable Funds website at www.bobbiesays.com.
Since opening in 1993, the Community Memorial Hospital Cancer Care Center has been dedicated to providing total quality cancer prevention, care and treatment, blending the latest technology with compassionate emotional support, information and education, resulting in a seamless continuum of care from pre-diagnosis through treatment and beyond. In 2007, physicians from Oncology Alliance began providing medical oncology services. Physicians from the Medical College of Wisconsin have been providing radiation oncology services since the Center opened. The Cancer Care Center recently received the prestigious American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer Outstanding Achievement Award.
Community Memorial Hospital, which specializes in cardiac care, women's health, cancer care and advanced surgical procedures, is a member of Froedtert & Community Health.