Presence Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center Recognizes Komen Chicago with Inspire Award

Presence Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center (PSMEMC) recognized Susan G. Komen® - Chicago with the Inspire Award for Community Service at a special program on April 22 at the medical center. Bonnie Gordon, president of the board for Susan G. Komen - Chicago, accepted the award on behalf of the organization.

The Inspire Award, formerly known as the CARES Award for community service, is given annually to an individual or organization, which through their service, inspires individuals to follow their example.

“We are very excited to give this year’s Inspire Award to Komen Chicago,” said Martin Judd, regional CEO, PSMEMC, at the program. “The organization has been at the forefront in the fight against breast cancer since 1982.”

Komen Chicago was established in 1997 with the mission to end breast cancer forever.  It holds two Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure® events annually in Chicago and Lombard, Ill.  Komen Chicago has awarded nearly $15 million towards the fight against breast cancer by funding grassroots breast health navigation, breast cancer screening and treatment projects, as well as global research.

“Presence Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center provides the highest quality of care to those in their local community – regardless of their ability to pay,” Gordon said. “We are honored to accept this prestigious award and look forward to continuing to work with the medical center to support their efforts to help as many women as possible defeat breast cancer.”

PSMEMC has a long history of working with Komen Chicago. The grants provided by the organization for the past seven years have helped the medical center hire staff dedicated to the fight against breast cancer and enabled PSMEMC to provide important educational materials about breast cancer to patients.

“One of the most amazing things we have been able to do as a result of Komen Chicago’s generosity is provide free screenings to low-income patients in our community,” Judd said. “We are now providing more than 1,000 free breast cancer screenings annually.”

Judd explained the free screenings have led to early detection of cancer in many patients and has helped women get the care they needed – resulting in a greater number of breast cancer survivors in the community. 

“This organization has really touched the lives of so many of our patients and their families,” Judd said. “We have so many patients with truly amazing stories of recovery thanks to the generosity of Komen Chicago.”