Frank and Judy Michaud have done it again.
As a follow up to their $50,000 gift to establish the “Health Initiative for Men Fund” at the Valley Community Foundation (VCF) in July of this year, the Michauds have made a challenge gift to the 2011 Griffin Hospital Autumn Elegance Gala.
They have pledged to match dollar-for-dollar up to $50,000 of the total raised at the annual event, which this year will benefit the hospital’s Health Initiative for Men (HiM) efforts.
The HiM is an ongoing community health initiative that was launched in June to help inspire men to have an annual physical and raise awareness about men’s health issues, such as prostate cancer and colorectal cancer.
The Michaud’s initial $50,000 gift in July helped the hospital roll out the first phase of the HIM campaign: a card that could be enclosed in a Father’s Day card or given by itself to encourage area dads to “get to the doctor” for their annual check-ups.
Approximately 20,000 of these free cards, which included health screening guidelines on the back, were distributed at Griffin Hospital, local businesses, and through area schools for children to give to their fathers.
“Griffin Hospital launched the HiM as a response to recent data, which indicate that men in the Valley have significantly higher rates of mortality than men in Connecticut on average for both prostate cancer and colorectal cancer,” said Patrick Charmel, Griffin Hospital President and CEO. “Our goal is to influence men to see their physician and be screened for various diseases that respond better to treatment if detected early.”
The HiM’s second campaign, a birthday-themed card that can be enclosed in a birthday card or given by itself, was officially launched at the Autumn Elegance Gala Saturday Nov. 5.
“We are extremely grateful for Frank and Judy’s leadership and generosity in establishing the “Health Initiative for Men Fund” at the Valley Community Foundation, and this latest challenge gift will only serve to propel the HiM forward in the months and years to come,” said Connie Evans, executive director of the Griffin Hospital Development Fund.