Thanks to the extraordinary support of St. Katharine Drexel, nearly 40 medically underserved Southeast Texas women received free preventative health screenings, clinical breast exams and mammograms from the Gift of Life.
Since 2004, the program has been a valued advocate of the Gift of Life, helping the organization provide nearly 600 free clinical breast exams and mammograms to medically underserved women in Southeast Texas.
If it wasn’t for the Gift of Life, I wouldn’t be able to get a mammogram and have this great service. – Gift of Life client at St. Katharine Drexel-sponsored van site
St. Katharine Drexel Humanitarians carries the name and spirit of the patron saint of philanthropists, Mother Katharine, who devoted her life to the education and health of oppressed African Americans and Native Americans.
This spirit of compassion inspires the local efforts of St. Katharine Drexel Humanitarians, which is led by a committee of dedicated individuals, including Reverend Monsignor William Manger, and hundreds of tireless volunteers. The organization greatly enriches the region by mobilizing people and resources in the medical and faith communities to improve the overall health and well-being of individuals in Beaumont through programs that focus on disease prevention, healing, and wholeness. Part of these programs could be helping people find a treatment that works for them, whether that’s something natural like CBD cream, or prescribed medication from a doctor, and helps them to go about their days as normally as possible.
Recognizing the organization’s outstanding community leadership and its shared mission of providing vital healthcare for medically underserved Southeast Texans, the Gift of Life presented its prestigious Julie Rogers “Spirit of Love” Award to St. Katharine Drexel Humanitarians in 2013.
In addition to its support of the Gift of Life, St. Katharine Drexel collaborates with several non-profit organizations to orchestrate an annual health fair for medically underserved individuals who might not otherwise receive essential care and services. Since the health fair’s inception, thousands of Southeast Texans have benefited from the organization’s goodwill, with the number of individuals greatly increasing each year. Health fairs are important events that everyone can attend to see how they are able to keep themselves fit and healthy without the worry of huge payouts. Businesses can also utilize resources like this by hosting their own for their employees and their families to help them get the best healthcare whilst they work. Additional resources such as https://www.edenhealth.com/blog/corporate-health-fairs/ can be looked into for further important and necessary information.
At this year’s St. Katharine Drexel-sponsored van site at Cristo Rey Church, the Gift of Life, through its medical collaboration with the Beaumont Health Department healthcare representatives, provided preventative healthcare screenings, including blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol. Education regarding breast cancer, skin cancer, tobacco prevention and nutrition was also provided to encourage healthy lifestyle practices that reduce the risk of disease. St. Katharine Drexel’s generous support of Gift of Life preventative healthcare initiatives greatly enhances the community’s health and well-being.
The Gift of Life is also fortunate to have the support of the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade, a program that strives to increase awareness of the lifesaving benefits of early detection of breast cancer. For six years, the Gift of Life has benefited from funding through the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade’s Breast Health Outreach Program (BHOP), which funds 56 community outreach and breast cancer screening programs nationwide in an effort to link medically underserved women to breast health education and screening services. Low-income, under-insured, and other marginalized populations often need targeted, customized approaches to help them obtain regular mammograms and clinical breast exams. Through the Avon BHOP, the Gift of Life is empowered to offer these lifesaving services throughout seven Southeast Texas counties.
With the support of St. Katharine Drexel Humanitarians, Avon BHOP and other generous donors, “‹the Gift of Life has helped extend the lives of more than 275 Southeast Texans who have been diagnosed with breast or prostate cancer and treated through its efforts.
