Power of Good

A 10 Division Spotlight almost 300,000 wom- En in the United States will learn this year that they have breast cancer, according to the Susan G. Koman Foundation. While this statistic is staggering, breast cancer deaths have continued to decrease since 1990. Why? Improved treat- ment and early detec- tion. Chances of survival are highest when breast cancer is found early. As mammography screening rates continue to increase, breast cancer is being detected earlier than in the past. For the Medical Center Barbour in Eufaula, digital mammography technology will soon be available for more pa- tients than ever before, giving them the opportu- nity for earlier detection. Through a 22-month community wide fun- draising campaign and a gift from the Alabama Power Foundation, the Medical Center Barbour in Eufaula is excited to acquire the advanced diag- nostic equipment. "This is a pink banner day," announced Ralph Clark, the hospital's chief operating officer during a recent press conference. "The Eufaula community has made a significant investment in saving lives." In 2012, the Medical Center Barbour Fund was estab- lished in partnership with the Southeast Alabama Medical Center (SAMC) Foundation to help support the ongoing operational and capital needs of the 74-bed hospital. Jay Jaxon, a member of the Medical Center Board Fund Advisory Council said, "The Digital Mammography Project was the hospital's top funding priority. We set an ambitious goal of $150,000 and this generous community not only met the goal, but surpassed it. And gifts are still coming in. Eufaula's giving spirit made the seemingly impossible pos- sible." In addition to gifts of all amounts from 266 donors, Jaxon, who is also a SAMC Foun- dation trustee, noted that the SAMC Foun- dation was awarded a grant from the Alabama Power Foundation in support of the MCB digital mammography project. "We were short of our initial goal when we received word of the grant from Alabama Power Foundation. It was certainly welcomed support," Jaxon said. Richard Hutto, Alabama Power Southeast Division vice president, said, "For the last 25 years, the Alabama Power Foundation has been focused on strengthening communities served by Alabama Power Company, and one of the most important criteria considered is the availability of good health care." Hutto said the amount of community support for the digital mammography project was a factor in Alabama Power Foundation's decision to award the grant. "When the board members saw the level of community engagement, and the number of philanthropic gifts that had been made so far, they were compelled to help," he said. Noting there are few people who don't know someone affected by this devastating disease, Hutto encouraged the community to consider joining Alabama Power in the fight against breast cancer by becoming an MCB Fund Partner in Philanthropy. "Today, Medical Center Barbour and the people of the Barbour County region have a unique opportunity to impact their lives and the lives of future generations," Clark said. "By making a donation to the MCB Fund Digital Mammography Project, the community will help make significant strides in the fight against breast cancer." Medical Center Barbour to get digital mammography STORy AnD PHOTO By LInDA BRAnnOn Ralph Clark, CEO of Medical Center Barbour, and Richard Hutto, vice president of Alabama Power's Southeast Division.

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