Ultimate Medical Academy Brings Nation’s Largest Team to “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” Effort
TAMPA, Fla. – February 3, 2020 – With the tallies counted, Ultimate Medical Academy is proud to announce that UMA brought the largest group of participants in the nation to the 2019 American Cancer Society (ACS) Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk.
The UMA team crowded into Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium in November with more than 1,150 registered walkers, topping the biggest teams in the country. This exceeded UMA’s 2018 Making Strides effort that brought 703 walkers to the event.
“I am so proud to be part of such an incredible group of caring co-workers who came out in droves to tell their stories, generate donations and raise awareness of what we can do to fight breast cancer,” said Beth Garland, UMA’s senior vice president of human resources and the chair for this year’s Tampa Making Strides event. “This is a disease that affects far too many, and I am thrilled that so many great organizations are joining the fight.”
UMA participants raised more than $44,000 for the ACS and Making Strides, and this year, Garland was named to the board of the American Cancer Society of Tampa Bay.
In addition to funding cancer research, the ACS helps patients and their families in tangible ways such as giving free rides to patients traveling to treatments and surgeries, providing lodging for patients who need to reside close to hospitals, advocating to make cancer a top priority of public officials and serving as the number-one source for cancer information 24 hours a day.
The event was near and dear to the UMA team, as several UMA team members and families have been impacted by breast cancer.
For instance, team member Ilyasha Hood is a breast cancer survivor who was 24 years old when she received the phone call that changed her life. (Watch Hood’s story here.) Throughout her treatment, Hood’s UMA colleagues put together care packages, offered encouragement and supported her through her journey.
The complete “Why UMA Walks” series can be viewed through the links below:
• Why UMA Walks – Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 1
• Why UMA Walks – Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 2
• Why UMA Walks – Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 3
UMA’s community giving focuses on three main areas that align with the institution’s mission to equip and empower students to excel in healthcare careers: Healthcare, Education and Diversity & Inclusion. Last year, UMA was honored as the 2019 Large Not-For-Profit Business of the Year by the Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce.
“The team that turned out for this wonderful event truly exemplifies UMA’s belief in a broader mission,” said Thomas Rametta, President of Ultimate Medical Academy. “Ours is an organization focused on health and education, and we are proud to team up with other people and organizations in our community to support efforts that help to educate, inform and foster greater well-being for us all.”
UMA is also sponsoring and participating in the American Heart Association’s signature program “Go Red for Women” to help raise awareness of what women can do to protect themselves and build good heart health. That initiative takes place in February during American Heart Month. The UMA team will participate in “Wear Red Day” on Friday, Feb. 7, offer biometric screenings for its team members and host guest speakers with expertise on cardiovascular disease.
