Except for skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women today. Being a woman is the number one risk factor, and the risk increases as women age. A woman’s chance of getting breast cancer over her lifetime is 1 in 8.
MSHA
Parish Nurses took these stats to heart and decided to do something about them. With the help of a grant from the Tennessee Breast Cancer Coalition, the nurses provided breast cancer awareness education to more than 400 people during 2010-2011. However, the nurses soon realized that as important as education is, it is not enough. They identified several women who needed mammograms and/or treatment but could not afford it. By knowing the resources in the area they were able to make appropriate referrals. Because MSHA Parish Nurses (most of them in volunteer positions) cared enough to act, lives were definitely impacted in a positive way and in some cases perhaps saved.
Thousands of people in the Tri-Cities area each year benefit from the services provided by the
MSHA Parish Nurse Program. From a newborn baby visit to dealing with end-of-life issues and everything in between, the parish nurse is there.
They touch multiple lives every day through visitation programs, blood pressure clinics, health screenings, church and community educational programs, health fairs, individual and family counseling and education, assisting with nursing home/assisted living placement, or better still, putting resources into the home so the parishioner can remain independent, meeting with doctors, nurses and case managers to explain procedures and treatments, holding a hand, listening, praying, the list goes on and on.
With one foot in the scientific community and one foot in the faith community, the parish nurse is in an excellent position to help individuals meet their optimal level of whole-person health. The ministry the parish nurses provide is priceless due to the generosity of giving people who support the program.
For more information on Parish Nursing, please contact Lula Gray at (423) 431-7620 or
graylm@msha.com
Funding Priorities
- Program Expansion - $8,000
- Health Fairs - $2,000
- Screenings - $2,000
- Community Educational Programs - $2,000
- Continuing Education and Retreats for Parish Nurses - $6,000