CT BHI Announces Grant Recipients

Editor’s note: This article was created from reporting by Frank Gerratana.

The Connecticut Breast Health Initiative (CT BHI) officially awarded its 2019 grants for breast cancer research and education programs at a recent ceremony.

The CT BHI that it, “Recognizes our generous sponsors and volunteers and celebrates the announcement and presentation of research and education awards.”

The event was held at the Shuttle Meadow Country Club on October 10, 2019.

The CT BHI holds the annual Race in the Park event in New Britain each year, where it says, “thousands gather to participate in race day festivities and events while honoring survivors, remembering loved ones, celebrating life and most importantly, raising much needed funds to advance the fight against breast cancer in Connecticut.”

CT BHI President Joyce G. Bray led the award ceremonies and, with Grants Chair Nancy Kroeber and Grants Committee member Ray Andrews, awarded the 2019 grants. Coleman Levy led the “Pumpkin Auction” part of the program.

Donna Twist, Ph.D., accepted the grant to the Norma Pfriem Breast Center for the Mujer a Mujer (Woman to Woman) Program.

The Marsha Goldstein Grant was presented to the Hospital of Central Connecticut’s Linda Hodgkins, MS, OTR/L CLT-LANA, for the Rehabilitation for Breast Cancer Program.

Linda Vahdat, M.D. of Norwalk Hospital accepted the grant for development of the Connecticut Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) Program at Norwalk Hospital-MSK.

The CT BHI said that St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center’s Mark O’Donnell, Ph.D., was accepting a grant for the St. Francis Comprehensive Health Center’s Community Outreach/Education Program.

The Howard Belkin Memorial Grant was presented to Ravi Jain, M.D., Ph.D., of Middlesex Health for work on, “Patient-centered diagnosis of breast cancer: Can molecular breast imaging (MBI) reduce unnecessary biopsies?”

The Connecticut Breast Health Initiative says that it is its mission, “to make a difference locally in the fight against breast cancer through education and research.”