Wednesday, April 06, 2005

MEMORANDUM

TO: Wilmington Area Media

FROM: Mimi Cunningham

DATE: April 6, 2005

RE: Press Event Announces Major Grant for Bolton Health and Wellness Center at 3 p.m. Monday, April 11, Bolton, N.C.

Members of the media, residents of Bolton Township/Eastern Columbus County and clients of the Bolton Health and Wellness Center are cordially invited to attend a press event to announce a major grant for the Bolton Health and Wellness Center. The event will take place at 3 p.m. Monday, April 11 at the Bolton Health and Wellness Center at 213 Ninth Street, Bolton, N.C.

Among the notables attending will be Congressman Mike McIntyre, UNCW Chancellor Rosemary DePaolo, UNCW School of Nursing Dean Virginia Adams, Bolton Mayor Frank Wilson, Wellness Center Board Chair LaShonn Freeman and Rhone Sasser of Whiteville. One of the clinic’s current patients will speak and be available for media interviews as well.

Bolton is located in Southeastern North Carolina, which has among the highest rate in the nation of prostate cancer and the highest rate of high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes in the state among ethnic minorities. Until November 2003, Bolton’s population had minimal access to health care. A multifaceted collaborative health project, spearheaded by UNCW’s School of Nursing and funded in part through the assistance of Rep. McIntyre, is changing that.

Health care services offered at the center include primary care, blood pressure and glucose screening, depression screening, counseling, community problem solving, prescription assistance and health and empowerment education. This is a nurse-managed, service-learning site for multidisciplinary students that also serves as a scholarship site for UNCW faculty and students. Some of the disciplines served are nursing, social work, sociology, education and gerontology.

For more information, contact the Bolton Health and Wellness Center at 910/655-8300 or Perri Bomar at 910/962-3200 or at bomarp@uncw.edu.