| SMHC
hosts Foundation site visit
St. Mary’s Hospital and Clinics recently hosted a visit from two representatives from the Inland Northwest  Community
Foundation, formerly Foundation Northwest. Nancy Collins-Warner,
Secretary, Board of Trustees and Shelly O’Quinn, Program Officer, discussed
possible funding for a grant submitted by Pam McBride, SMHC Grants Coordinator.
The grant proposal requests over $11,000 to provide free cervical cancer screenings, more commonly known as pap smears, to uninsured or underinsured women in Idaho County. They would be done in partnership with Pathologist Regional Lab in Lewiston who has agreed to provide their services at a reduced rate if the grant application is funded. The exam portion would be donated by St. Mary’s Hospital. According to Collins-Warner, the Foundation received proposals requesting over two million dollars. After the proposals were reviewed half were eliminated. SMHC’s proposal was selected for a site visit. The Foundation will be distributing $500,000 in grant funds in the near future. “We feel it’s a good project because so many farm women have catastrophic health insurance which means they often do not get their regular medical check ups for financial reasons,” said Shari Kuther, RN, SMHC Clinic Nurse Director. “Detecting breast cancer through mammograms and certified breast exams and detecting abnormal cervical cell growth in their early stages can greatly increase a woman’s chance of survival. Being able to offer these exams next year for uninsured or underinsured women would be a huge help in our county.” The Inland Northwest Community Foundation serves twenty counties throughout Eastern Washington and North Idaho. Founded in 1974, they manage more than 200 funds valued at approximately $63 million. INCF has awarded $31.5 million in grants and scholarships throughout the region. |
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