SAINT FRANCIS AWARDED GRANT FOR MEN’S HEALTH INSTITUTE BY HARTFORD FOUNDATION FOR PUBLIC GIVING

Will Address Prostate Cancer in Underserved and African-American Men

(HARTFORD, Conn., Feb. 1, 2010) -- Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center has received a $472,533 grant from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving to help establish the Men's Health Institute at Saint Francis, a program to give uninsured and underinsured men access to free prostate screenings and treatment, and to particularly address the prevalence of prostate cancer among African-American men.

According to the National Cancer Institute, African-American men are 2.5 times more likely to die from prostate cancer than Caucasian men.

"We will focus on the early detection of aggressive prostate cancers in young African-American men who otherwise might not go to their doctor or come into the Hospital for testing. We will bring education and testing services to them," said Jeffrey Steinberg, M.D., Chairman of Saint Francis' Department of Surgery and a practicing urologist, who is the Medical Director of the Men's Health Institute.

"The Hartford Foundation is pleased to support Saint Francis as it partners with community groups to educate members of the community about a critical healthcare issue - and ultimately save lives," said Linda J. Kelly, President of the Hartford Foundation.

The Men's Health Institute has developed a community outreach program in concert with more than 30 faith-based and community organizations serving community and African-American populations.

"This is another opportunity for local clergy to care for the whole person, mind, spirit and body," said Rev. Marcus McKinney, D. Min., L.P.C., the Hospital's Director of Pastoral Counseling and Community Outreach, who has worked with the churches on such projects as Saint Francis' pastoral counseling training program and Sister Talk - Hartford, a weight-loss program for African-American women.

The Men's Health Institute will conduct brief educational programs at participating churches and community organizations, followed by private testing sessions. Results of the tests will be mailed to participants. Men with positive blood tests will be referred to Saint Francis physicians for further examination and possible minimally invasive robotic surgery, if indicated.

"Many in the African-American community do not have health insurance and rely on emergency departments for primary care," explains Curtis D. Robinson, a member of the Board of Directors at Saint Francis and a founding sponsor of the Institute. "Unfortunately, when symptoms of prostate cancer develop, leading these men to an emergency department, it is often too late to effectively stop the spread of the disease. By reaching out to the community, we hope to detect prostate cancer in its earliest and most treatable stages."

"We are grateful to the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving for their support of this important health initiative, which addresses economic and racial disparities in areas of patient education, early diagnosis and appropriate treatment, particularly of African-American men at risk for prostate cancer," said Christopher M. Dadlez, Saint Francis' President and Chief Executive Officer. "We anticipate the Men's Health Institute will have a very positive impact on our community's health status."

In 2005, the Hartford Foundation awarded Saint Francis a three-year grant of $450,000 for its Women's Heart Health Program, which served more than 5,000 women in the Greater Hartford area. This outreach, assessment and education initiative targeted inner-city women, primarily African-American, who achieved a 2.5 percent reduction in cardiovascular risk from lifestyle modifications promoted by the program.

Founded in 1897, Saint Francis is a major teaching hospital licensed for 617 acute inpatient beds and 65 bassinets. It is the largest Catholic hospital in New England.

The funding for the Men's Health Institute is partially supported by the Gengras Family Fund at the Hartford Foundation.

The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving is the community foundation for the 29-town Greater Hartford region dedicated to improving the quality of life for area residents for the past 85 years. The Foundation receives gifts from thousands of generous individuals and families, and last year, awarded grants of nearly $26 million to a broad range of area nonprofit organizations. For more information about the Hartford Foundation, visit www.hfpg.org or call 860-548-1888.