AustinTalks (http://austintalks.org/tag/loretto-hospital/page/4/)
The Loretto Hospital is collecting boots, coats, hats, gloves, shirts, pants, shoes and other clothing for its patients. There are drop boxes at the hospital, 645 S. Central Ave., and at 5120 W. Jackson Blvd.
For the first time in the citywide festival’s eight-year history, 11 locations in Austin will be featured.
Austin has one of the highest rates of breast cancer mortality in the city. The Loretto Hosptial and its foundation are working to reduce the number of women who die from this disease. Join others on the West Side from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Oct. 1 for the annual kick-off reception.
The free event – held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 29 at The Loretto Hospital – includes screenings, lunch, and a panel of experts.
Dr. Alana Biggers will be the featured speaker from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 22 at 645 S. Central Ave. Contact the hospital to register for Saturday’s event.
The new funding plan could leave safety-net hospitals like Loretto in a difficult position. About 600 people are employed at the hospital.
Speaking at Sunday services at Third Unitarian Church, Loretto Hospital President and CEO George Miller Jr. decried the great disparities between those with health insurance and those with none. “This country is rich enough for everyone to get health care,” he said.
The Austin facility, one of the community’s largest employers, heavily relies on the federal-state funding, which puts its future at risk, state Rep. Camille Lilly said last week.
George N. Miller Jr. is the first African American to lead the West Side hospital. He is the former CEO and president of CommUnityCare Health Centers in Texas. Miller replaces Dr. Sonia Mehta, who had run the Austin hospital since 2012.
The free event, sponsored by West Side Men, Austin Weekly News and Loretto Hospital, will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 30.