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Christian Messa Cullen Trust for Health Care contributes
$500,000 to UTMB breast imaging fellowship GALVESTON, Texas — The Cullen Trust for Health Care recently contributed $500,000 to help establish the first breast imaging fellowship program at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston that will support radiologists seeking specialty training in breast cancer screening and diagnosis. UTMB launched a $1 million initiative to create the fellowship program, which would permit one radiologist to complete a one-year fellowship in breast imaging. One fellowship would be awarded annually. UTMB’s breast imaging fellowship will help address a nationwide shortage of radiologists who are specially trained to detect early cancer in breast tissue. A growing population of women who need screenings and a limited number of available breast imaging fellowship training programs have contributed to the scarcity of these health care specialists. Because almost all breast cancer may be successfully treated if detected early, sophisticated imaging technologies — and the health care specialists who interpret the images — are essential for lowering the cancer’s death rate. Breast cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death among women in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 200,000 women were expected to have developed breast cancer in 2005, with an estimated 40,000 deaths attributed to the disease. The Texas Cancer Registry reports that approximately 11,000 new cases of invasive female breast cancer are recorded annually, and more than 2,400 women die as a result. Radiologists participating in UTMB’s breast imaging fellowship program will gain valuable experience with a variety of imaging tools, such as ultrasound, mammography and magnetic resonance imaging, as well as training in interventional procedures like minimally invasive image-guided breast biopsies. Dr. Tuenchit Khamapirad, associate professor of radiology and director of breast imaging at UTMB, said the support from the Cullen Trust for Health Care will help UTMB make great progress in improving women’s health across the state. “Thanks to their generosity, we will be able to create a breast imaging fellowship program that can help fill the severely depleted ranks of radiologists in this subspecialty,” Khamapirad said. “These highly skilled health care professionals are urgently needed to increase the rates of early diagnosis of breast cancer and, therefore, improve the chances of survival.” Added Dr. Leonard E. Swischuk, professor and chair of the UTMB Radiology Department, “We appreciate the Cullen Trust for Health Care for recognizing the crucial importance of this breast imaging fellowship program. The philanthropy’s board members should be applauded for their foresight in making such a lasting impact on women’s health care.” Fredell Rosen, a longtime UTMB volunteer and co-chair of the breast imaging fellowship fundraising initiative, was equally appreciative. “With only a fraction of all mammograms being read by breast imaging specialists, it is imperative that we increase the ranks of qualified specialists,” she said. “The commitment from the Cullen Trust for Health Care brings us closer to this goal.” The Cullen Trust’s contribution supports UTMB’s Timeless Values, Pioneering Solutions campaign. This five-year, $250 million comprehensive fund-raising initiative will enhance areas of excellence in teaching the art and science of health care; infectious diseases, biodefense and vaccine development; health care access and telehealth; and longevity, chronic diseases and neurological recovery. In addition to its latest contribution, the Cullen Trust has supported UTMB by funding a collaborative telehealth program between the academic health center and the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Telehealth technology allows health care professionals to communicate with, examine and treat a patient hundreds or even thousands of miles away. The Cullen Trust for Health Care is one of three charitable trusts that were created by The Cullen Foundation in the 1970s. For more than five decades, the foundation has generously supported education, the arts and health care in Texas, particularly in the greater Houston area. UTMB |
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