Tens of Thousands of Dollars Raised to Benefit Brooklyn’s Only Fully Accredited Breast Center
(Brooklyn, NY) – On Wednesday, August 6, the baseball diamond sparkled with star power as Dolores Catania and her celebrity squad took the field against Maimonides Health’s physician all-stars in the 6th Annual Battle for Brooklyn. Fans know Dolores Catania from Bravo’s hit series “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” and NBC’s “Traitors.” The charity softball game raises awareness of Brooklyn’s only fully accredited breast cancer center, while also raising tens of thousands of dollars to support the Maimonides Breast Center in serving patients and delivering 20,000 mammograms annually. Proceeds will help support expanding access to screening services, ensuring patients receive services regardless of ability pay. This includes mammograms for individuals who are uninsured or underinsured, transportation and other services.
“I look forward to this event each and every year. We are thrilled to raise awareness and funds for the critical work Maimonides does through its Breast Center,” said “Real Housewives of New Jersey” cast member Dolores Catania. “I can tell you from firsthand experience: You won’t find a more dedicated group of physicians and staff than at Maimonides and it’s a privilege to support their work.”
“Battle for Brooklyn is such a special event precisely because it unites an extraordinary mix of community champions—doctors, patients, and celebrities,” said Kenneth D. Gibbs, President and CEO, Maimonides Health. “This remarkable partnership celebrates our brave patients, and powers the advanced care and research that define our award-winning Breast Center.”
“Battle for Brooklyn raises awareness and provides crucial funding for the groundbreaking research and exceptional patient care at Maimonides Breast Center,” said Dr. Patrick Borgen, Chair of the Department of Surgery and Head of the Maimonides Breast Center. “Thanks to the dedication of our physicians and staff, we continue to stand by patients and their families at every step of the journey. Events like these also shine a spotlight on the life-saving importance of regular screenings and our preventative measures.”
The popular reality show “Real Housewives of New Jersey” airs on Bravo and focuses on the lives of several influential New Jersey women. For cast member Dolores Catania, the relationship with Maimonides is longstanding and personal. A strong supporter of women’s health, she had a mammogram and biopsy performed at Maimonides on camera, using her platform to underscore the importance of routine screenings to her fans. Following Dolores’ lead, cast member Margaret Josephs also received treatment at Maimonides.
Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among American women. One in eight women will be diagnosed in their lifetime. Screenings are an integral part of women’s healthcare. Those who are screened annually have a 26% lower mortality rate than women who do not regularly screen. This event serves as an important reminder for women to get screened.
As Brooklyn’s only fully accredited breast center, Maimonides Breast Center provides patients with customized treatment plans and comprehensive care following a breast cancer diagnosis. The Breast Center takes part in clinical trials, allowing the center to offer the most innovative new treatments and advanced therapies for an illness that hundreds of thousands of U.S. women will be diagnosed with each year.
In addition to highlighting the great work of Maimonides Breast Center, this year, Dolores joined forces with Clear The Shelters to promote animal rescue and pet adoption—a cause that she cares deeply about. Game attendees were able to meet and greet animals before the game
“We are grateful for how communities across the nation have embraced Clear The Shelters, which has expanded the campaign’s impact on vulnerable animals and the shelters who care for them year after year,” said Meredith McGinn, NBCUniversal Local’s Executive Vice President of Diginets and Original Production in a statement.
Click here for photos from the event. To download photos, use PIN 6273 (Credit: Tony Sanchez)
About Maimonides Health
Maimonides Health is Brooklyn’s largest healthcare system, serving over 320,000 patients each year through the system’s three hospitals, 1,800+ physicians, and more than 80 community-based practices and outpatient centers. Our system is anchored by Maimonides Medical Center, one of the nation’s largest independent teaching hospitals and home to centers of excellence in numerous specialties; Maimonides Midwood Community Hospital (formerly New York Community Hospital), a 130-bed adult medical–surgical hospital; and Maimonides Children’s Hospital, Brooklyn’s only children’s hospital and only pediatric trauma center.
Maimonides’ clinical programs rank among the best in the country for patient outcomes, including our Heart and Vascular Institute, Neurosciences Institute, Bone and Joint Center, and Cancer Center. For additional information, please visit www.maimo.org and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.