October 31, 2002

Genesis Announces Award Of Hope Winner

Judy McFarlin, Director of the Genesis Cancer Center presents 2002 Award of Hope to Angela Keesy, BSN, RN, Director of Women's Health for the Rock Island County Health Department

The Award of Hope was presented last night at the Genesis Medical Center East campus Conference Room. The award winner is Angela Keesy, BSN, RN, Director of Women's Health for the Rock Island County Health Department. Keesy has dedicated the last 12 years of her life to improve health services and outreach programs for women in the community and has served as a Co-Chair for various committees such as the Witness Project Advisory Committee and the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Coalition (Iowa & Illinois).

Among her many responsibilities, Keesy is a wife and a mother of three children. Tom Keesy, Angela's husband and their children Ashley, 15, Ellie, 12 and TJ, 9 have supported her time consuming efforts to improve women's health services in the community. "It is important for me to concentrate on multiple goals and responsibilities at work while maintaining balance and stability for my family," says Keesy. She began working with the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program as Supervisor of 10 area counties in August of 1996. Keesy currently supervises 7 area counties and is working diligently to enhance her family planning efforts, women's care program and physician recruitment and training for the programs.

"It feels good to know that women, community members and professional peers are recognizing and appreciating the work that is being done to improve women's health services in the region," says Keesy, "It is rewarding to know that what I have been doing has made an impact."

"The Award of Hope is given to outstanding members of the community who have devoted time and effort to increase breast cancer awareness and promote early detection and screening," says Judy McFarlin, BSMT, CTR, MHCA, Director of Genesis Cancer Center, Davenport, IA. "This honor identifies a standard of commitment, hope and passion to reduce the damage that breast cancer inflicts on so many lives."

The Breast Cancer Coalition, a collaborative coalition between Genesis Medical Center and the American Cancer Society, was formed in 1993 to identify and communicate breast health needs of women in the community. The committee's goals are to develop and participate in programs and activities focused on prevention and early detection of breast cancer.