Ultimate Medical Academy is Top Team in Tampa Making Strides Against Breast Cancer
TAMPA, Fla.,听Oct. 19, 2018听/PRNewswire/ 鈥斕齍ltimate Medical Academy is bringing the largest team to the听听(ACS鈥檚) 20th听听in听Tampa听on听Saturday, October 20听at the Amalie Arena.
With more than 675 walkers, including 54 students from its听Clearwater Campus, UMA, a nonprofit healthcare educational institution, is leading the way in听Hillsborough County听to raise awareness and join in the fight against breast cancer. As this year鈥檚 First Aid gold level sponsor of Making Strides, the UMA students will offer blood pressure checks at the First Aid tent.
UMA is walking in solidarity with students, faculty, staff and their loved ones who have personal experiences with the disease. In addition to walking, members of Team UMA have raised听$15,000, which UMA will match for a total donation of听$30,000听to this year鈥檚 campaign.
鈥淭hree women with unique and heart wrenching stories about battling and beating cancer will be a part of Team UMA on Saturday,鈥澨�Beth Garland, Senior Vice President of Human Resources, noted. 鈥淲e thank听Ilyasha Hood, Strategic Partnerships Regional Manager,听Yliana Rodriguez, Learner Services New Student Advisor, and听Amber Acosta, Learner Services Advisor, for bravely sharing their stories of survival and encouraging UMA employees to join them at the walk on Saturday.鈥�
Hood is a breast cancer survivor who was 24 when she received the phone call that changed her life. Watch Hood鈥檚 story听.
Rodriguez helped care for her mother who survived her battle with breast cancer. Watch Rodriguez鈥檚 story听.
Acosta is an ovarian cancer survivor who after treatment took advantage of furthering her education at UMA to be the first one in her family to earn an Associate鈥檚 degree. She also helped support her mother through a successful battle with breast cancer. Watch Acosta鈥檚 story听.
As part of being a top Making Strides team, two UMA employees 鈥� Talent Manager听Maria Huerta听and Employee Relations Business Partner Kelly Bowland 鈥� took calls at the Fox 13 Making Strides phone bank on听Friday, October 12, at the station. Phone bank volunteers answered about 100 calls during the day, helping people with questions about a diagnosis or medications they were prescribed. Other callers received information about mammograms and where to find financial assistance. Volunteers also provided details on the Making Strides walk and how people can get involved.
Through the Making Strides walk, UMA is offering its support for anyone who has experienced their own cancer journey and thanking all of the people who have joined the ACS鈥檚 fight against breast cancer.
For the fifth consecutive year, UMA is sponsoring this premier event in听Hillsborough County. Since 2014, Ultimate Medical Academy has raised and donated more than听$55,000听to the cause.
