DECEMBER 2007 -

Dr. Winnifred Cutler, President and Founder of Athena Institute for Women's Wellness, announced a fifty thousand dollar grant for 2007-2008 to the Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church Foundation to encourage area pre-med students to volunteer services to local hospice patients. She explains,

" The goal of the project is in keeping with Athena Institute's mission of working to improve the quality of healthcare for women - and to instill in pre-med students a sense of humanity and understanding towards the geriatric patient and 'end-of-life' care through hospice service."

Pre-med students would experience the care and services provided by hospices; in turn hospices and their patients would benefit from the students' help, and the church can benefit from its local outreach into colleges. Athena Institute can analyze students reports on their experiences (protecting the patients' privacy, of course) and Dr. Cutler may publish her analysis findings to appropriate scientific/medical audiences or venues. Dr. Cutler emphasizes,

"The church is facilitating connections through local college advisors and students with existing hospice organizations. But the church will have no responsibilities or involvement in Athena's subsequent research activities or scientific analysis I might base on student reports. And the project also links nicely with our medical school admission guide created by a wonderful former intern at Athena, Ms. Suzie Smith, called Searching for Admission."

Dr. Cutler believes that this grant and program will help inspire students to choose geriatric medicine as their field, a specialty that is presently underserved.

Athena Institute previously awarded a hospice research grant to the Ohio Presbyterian Church in 2006.