NORWICH – Thanks largely to funding from the national Avon Breast Health Outreach Program, the Chenango Health Network continues its mission to educate women of the life-saving benefits of annual breast cancer screenings.

The Chenango Health Network announced last week that it received a $59,000 one-year grant from the Avon Breast Health Outreach Program to promote cancer screenings and early detection for women throughout Chenango County. The grant is especially helpful for CHN’s Every Woman Counts in Chenango County Campaign, which educates women on the benefits of early detection and gives referrals for low-cost or free mammograms and clinical breast exams.

“The Avon Foundation for women shares our mission to assist medically under served women to receive breast health education and screening services,” stated CHN Cancer Outreach Coordinator Lori Kemmerer in a press release. “We are grateful that we will be able to continue to meet our objective to reach the women of Chenango County to offer services that will educate and allow women to access their yearly clinical breast exam and mammogram.”

This marks the ninth consecutive year CHN has been supported by the Avon Breast Health Outreach Program and every year, the organization strives toward a goal of having 700 women screened by year’s end.

“Our main objective is just to get the word out,” said Kemmerer. “Early detection saves lives. That’s what we want to continue to encourage.”