Two area non-profit organizations, The Ann Harris Smith Foundation and Chan Soon-Shiong Medical Center at Windber (CSSMCW), are excited to announce their partnership to promote Screen One Screen All, an awareness campaign created to encourage women to schedule their health exams.
In January, after noticing that many women had delayed their regular screenings due to the pandemic during the past year, CSSMCW launched the campaign surrounding two of its women’s health-focused departments, the Joyce Murtha Breast Care Center and Windber GYN Associates.
CSSMCW Director of Women’s Health Services Erin Goins said, “After the difficult year we’ve all had, we looked at 2021 as a great time to reinforce the importance of regular screenings for all female cancers, which can help detect an abnormality at an early stage and improve treatment outcomes. We created a three-color ribbon to serve as a reminder that cervical, ovarian, and breast health should be viewed as equally important, and that early detection of cancer in these areas through regular screenings can save lives.”
Recognizing the importance of screening for all female cancers and sharing a commitment to women’s health brought the hospital together with the Ann Harris Smith Foundation, which was started in 2000 after Ann Harris Smith was diagnosed with Stage IV ovarian cancer. The foundation enthusiastically agreed to collaborate on the Screen One Screen All campaign, bringing an even larger focus to its goal of increasing ovarian cancer awareness.
This Mother’s Day, Ann’s family wanted to take their mom’s foundation and mission to the next level. Ann’s son Matt Smith said, “If women access our driveteal.com web site and have questions about their symptoms, we wanted to be able to connect them to a provider for an examination and treatment if needed. We feel Windber GYN Associates is that provider in our area. Having met the staff, our family is impressed with their commitment to helping women of all ages with their overall health and wellness, especially focusing on cancer prevention.”
This partnership for Screen One Screen All shows how two non-profit organizations that have a similar mission, can come together to make a greater impact. CSSMCW President & CEO Tom Kurtz said, “This is a win-win for both the Ann Harris Smith Foundation and the medical center’s two female-focused departments. A collaboration such as this connects women with both information and access to experienced and dedicated providers. The Smith Family has done an amazing job of increasing awareness of ovarian cancer in our area and we hope to help them continue those efforts through the women’s health services offered at Chan Soon-Shiong Medical Center at Windber. We’re proud to have our hospital linked to the Ann Harris Smith mission to save lives.”
Pictured, L to R: Matt Smith, President of Laurel Auto Group and Co-Founder of the Ann Harris Smith Foundation; CSSMCW Director of Women’s Health Services Erin Goins; and CSSMCW President/CEO Tom Kurtz.
About Chan Soon-Shiong Medical Center at Windber
Founded in 1906, Chan Soon-Shiong Medical Center at Windber (CSSMCW) is an independent, non-profit acute care hospital in northern Somerset County, bordering Cambria County. The 54-bed hospital shares a campus and collaborates with Chan Soon-Shiong Institute of Molecular Medicine at Windber (CSSIMMW), a private, non-profit biomedical research center. With more than 450 employees, CSSMCW is the fourth largest employer in Somerset County. CSSMCW’s mission is to provide excellence in personalized, quality health care services through innovation, research and education in response to community needs. For more information visit www.windbercare.org.