Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center
Hartford, Conn.

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Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center has launched an outreach program that addresses the prevalence and disparities of prostate cancer among men who are uninsured or underinsured, particularly African-American men.

The program is named the Curtis D. Robinson Men's Health Institute at Saint Francis in recognition of a $1 million gift from Curtis Robinson, a member of Saint Francis' Board of Directors who is, himself, a prostate cancer survivor.

The institute will encourage prostate cancer screenings for African-American men, who are 2.5 times more likely to die of the disease than Caucasian men.

Educational presentations and free, private screenings will be provided through a network of more than 30 faith-based and community organizations serving primarily African-American populations.

The screenings provided by the institute will make these services available to underserved men who otherwise would not be tested when prostate cancer is in its earliest stages.

Should prostate cancer be diagnosed in an individual tested in one of the institute's free screening sessions, appropriate treatment, including da Vinci Robotic Surgery, will be provided at no cost to uninsured and underinsured patients under the auspices of the program.

The institute is also being supported by a $472,533 grant from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.

Founded in 1897, Saint Francis is a major teaching hospital licensed for 617 acute inpatient beds and 65 bassinets. It is the largest Catholic hospital in New England.

See a brochure from a recent town hall event (.pdf)