Special to The Daily Herald
On Dec. 17, the Roanoke Valley Breast Cancer Coalition was recognized by the Susan G. Komen North Carolina Triangle to the Coast Affiliate with the Spirit to Impact — Community Organizer Award. The Award is given to a grantee or community organizer that is making an impact in their community by being a catalyst for change and sharing the Komen message.
Julie R. McQueen, CHES director of community health for the Susan G. Komen North Carolina Triangle to the Coast Affiliate, informed the RVBCC about the award, “I am happy and proud to let you know that the Roanoke Valley Breast Cancer Coalition is our winner for the Spirit to Impact award. I am so excited and hope you are too. You are doing great work and we are proud to recognize you!”
This year the award was presented at the Komen research luncheon with the theme “Finding Solutions through Science, Scholars and Survivors” which was held at the William and Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education in Chapel Hill. Judy Salerno, president and CEO of National Komen, was keynote speaker. More than 300 were in attendance. Belinda Jones-Hill, MHA, RN, CCRN, manager of intensive care at Halifax Regional, and Dr. Maurice Davis, dentist and board member of the Gregory B. Davis Foundation, accepted the award on behalf of the Roanoke Valley Breast Cancer Coalition.
The RVBCC was created by Rural Health Group in collaboration with the Gregory B. Davis Foundation, as a way to create a partnership of frontline health care workers providing breast cancer care to underserved women in the Roanoke Valley. The RVBCC through its partnership networks link women to services along the breast cancer continuum of care, provide breast cancer education and advocacy, information on evidence-based programs and interventions, breast cancer screenings and breast cancer conferences.