Woodbridge Hospital Awarded Thousands in Grants

The Potomac Health Foundation has awarded three separate grants for projects at Sentara Potomac Hospital.

A $215,000 grant was awarded to the Sentara Family Health Connection Mobile Clinics to cover operational expenses, salaries, and renovations to the oldest of the mobile clinic’s two vans.

The Potomac Health Foundation awarded a second grant of $85,000 to fund the new “Every Baby, Every Time,” program which will be operated out of the mobile clinics. Every Baby, Every Time is a prenatal education and care program that will include pregnancy tests, general prenatal care and finding a prenatal/delivery provider for women in the community.

Each year, many women use the Sentara Potomac emergency room exclusively for prenatal care or to deliver their babies. The Every Baby, Every Time program will increase awareness of the importance of early prenatal care, including nutrition, exercise and managing gestational diabetes.

“Every Baby Every Time will really help us educate women in our community about the importance of early prenatal care,” says Evelyn Marr, R.N., Director of the Sentara Family Health Connection Mobile Clinics. “Our nurse practitioners and outreach workers will be able to perform pregnancy tests and give women resources for follow-up prenatal care and delivery. We’re so excited to add this component to our breadth of services.”

The third grant of $725,000 will fund a new mobile digital Mammography Van for Northern Virginia. In the Prince William County area there is a lack of early detection and treatment of breast cancer, particularly for low income women, leading to a high rate of deaths from breast cancer. Data indicate that the cancers are detected at a late, more serious stage, which signifies the need for improved early detection and treatment.

This program will improve access to mammography screening services for low income and uninsured women and will link patients with necessary follow up diagnosis and treatment services. An additional benefit will be the use of the Mammography Van’s exam room for a variety of women’s health issues, including well women exams and health education and counseling.

“The mammography mobile unit is a 40-foot coach that will have full digital mammography with computer aided detection,” says Marty Ward, director of Radiology and Imaging Services at Sentara Potomac Hospital. “We will partner with the Family Health Connection to serve those with little or no insurance and we’ll also partner with communities, organizations, and houses of worship to make access even more convenient for Northern Virginia residents.”

Sentara Potomac Hospital’s Mammography Van is scheduled to begin service in the spring of 2012. Please contact Marty Ward at 703-670-1866 if you are interested in having the Mobile Mammography Van visit your organization.

-Press release