From left are Megan Barone, WCA Foundation development director, and Tammara Hodges Imaging Director, both from UPMC Chautauqua; Dave Foti and Dave Munella, Italian-American Charity Golf Association; Kristin Melville, executive director of the WCA Foundation; Peter Morgante of the Italian-American Charity Golf Association; Joe Paterniti of the Italian-American Charity Golf Association; and Dr. Nabeela Patel, oncology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center Jamestown.

Mammography services at UPMC Chautauqua will soon be enhanced by a $1.3 million investment that will improve care, promote early detection of breast cancer, and reduce patient wait times by expanding mammography services.

“UPMC Chautauqua continues to invest in the community’s health care needs through various services and equipment,” said Kristin Melville, executive director of WCA Foundation. “We are fortunate to secure funding for these important improvement projects through various grants and generous donors.”

One major contributor to the project is the Italian American Charity Golf Association organization, which recently donated more than $67,000 toward a new 3D mammography system with AI-powered analytics that will provide the highest-resolution 3D images to accelerate screening and analysis.

The equipment will be included in the mammography expansion project, which is expected to be completed over the next year. This brings their total contribution to the project to $140,000.

“The Italian American Charity Golf Association is dedicated to fundraising efforts that support local cancer care in our community. Recognizing the importance of early detection in the treatment process, we believe that designating our funding will provide those affected by cancer with a better quality of life,” said Dave Munella, chair, Italian American Charity Golf Association. “Our community greatly benefits from the generous contributions of local businesses and individuals who continue to support this cause. A heartfelt thank you goes out to everyone who stands behind these efforts.”

The organization’s annual charity golf tournament began in 1971 and has provided more than $1.65 million to UPMC Chautauqua and WCA Foundation. Some of those projects include:

≤ Oncology treatment room

≤ State-of-the-art bronchoscopy and endoscopy equipment

≤ Updated Imaging Services

“We are grateful to our friends at the IA for their commitment to helping us fight cancer,” said Melville. “They believe that advancements in therapies and technologies have enhanced the quality of life for cancer patients, and they will continue to support these advancements.”

Golf tournament dates are June 6 through 8. Anyone is welcome to watch the tournament being held at Holiday Valley, Ellicottville. For more information or to donate, visit https://iacharitygolf.com/