Connections for Cardiovascular HealthSM Announces Grant to St. Mary’s Health Wagon

CLINTWOOD, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The AstraZeneca HealthCare Foundation program, Connections for Cardiovascular HealthSM, today announced a grant of more than $155,000 to St. Mary’s Health Wagon in Clintwood in support of the organization’s Health Wagon program. This is the second consecutive year that St. Mary’s Health Wagon has received a grant from the Connections for Cardiovascular HealthSM.

The Health Wagon is designed to reduce cardiovascular health disparities, targeting adults who are uninsured and underinsured with limited access to health care in the Appalachian Mountains of southwest Virginia. The program will focus on early detection, prevention, education and improving access to best practices and protocols through e-health initiatives.

“By establishing the Health Wagon as patient-centered health care for those with cardiovascular disease, barriers will be removed that can lead to positive patient outcomes,” said Dr. Teresa Gardner, Health Wagon’s nurse practitioner and executive director. “This program stands to make a significant and worthwhile contribution to the southwest Virginia region.”

The program will provide direct patient care by facilitating coordination of care, promoting educational opportunities, enhancing preventative health services and promoting screening events to patients who would not otherwise receive care. A key component of the program will be screening initiatives, which will identify patients with or at-risk for cardiovascular disease. Access barriers will be removed as The Health Wagon continues as a patient centered home for those at risk for or with cardiovascular disease.

“We must work to decrease the risk of and prevent cardiovascular disease in the United States, by providing resources to those in need,” said James W. Blasetto, M.D., MPH, chairman of the AstraZeneca HealthCare Foundation. “St. Mary’s Health Wagon is providing an innovative program to improve cardiovascular health in communities across southwest Virginia.”

Connections for Cardiovascular Health was launched in 2010 through a charitable contribution of $25 million from AstraZeneca. The program awards grants of $150,000 and up to US-based non-profit organizations that are doing innovative work in the field of cardiovascular health. The grants will be used to focus on screening initiatives that will identify patients with or at-risk of cardiovascular disease. Those individuals who do not have health insurance or are underinsured will be given the option of establishing a medical home with the free health clinic.

Organizations can learn more and apply online for a Foundation grant at www.astrazeneca-us.com/foundation. Applications must be submitted online no later than 5:00 p.m. ET on March 15.

About St. Mary’s Health Wagon

The Health Wagon is a free clinic that serves uninsured and underinsured patients in the mountains of Appalachia in Southwest Virginia. The Health Wagon, founded in 1980, serves as both mobile and stationary clinics to provide compassionate, quality health care to the underserved. More information about the Health Wagon can be found at www.thehealthwagon.org.

About the AstraZeneca HealthCare Foundation

Established in 1993, the AstraZeneca HealthCare Foundation is a Delaware not-for-profit corporation and a 501(c)(3) entity organized for charitable purposes including to promote public awareness of healthcare issues, to promote public education of medical knowledge and to support or contribute to charitable and qualified exempt organizations consistent with its charitable purpose.



CONTACT:

AstraZeneca HealthCare Foundation
Tony Jewell, 302-885-4594
or
Health Wagon
Dr. Teresa Gardner, 276-926-2260
Executive Director

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  Virginia

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:   Health  Cardiology  Hospitals  Philanthropy  Foundation  General Health

MEDIA:

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