Pictured L-R, back row: Dr. Kathleen Mueller, Director, Center for Integrative Medicine, Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center; Amy Buzzell, Saint Francis Foundation; Alissa Bonsall, Maureen Chagnon, Hailey Fox, Sue Weldon, Founder of Unite for HER and longtime gymnastics coach;  and Laura Bailey, Executive Director, Women’s & Infants Service Line, Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center. Front row, L-R:  Cassidy Girolamo, Austynn Lacasse, Sarah Proulx, Taylor Pitchell,  Sharon O’Brien, Manager, Center for Integrative Medicine at Saint Francis; Lorraine Greenfield, MAT, art therapist at the Center for Integrative Medicine.

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(Hartford, Conn. – July 30, 2015) - This past spring, gymnasts from Gymnastics Express in Newington and Glastonbury participated in the annual Unite for Her Pink Invitational and selected Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center to be the recipient of a monetary grant.  The Pink Invitational is a three-day competition where athletes compete in a sport they love while supporting breast cancer initiatives and learning about the importance lifelong wellness.  The meet has raised over $1 million to finance Unite for HER programs. Each year nearly 3,000 gymnasts participate and over 8,000 attendees gather in unity to honor and celebrate the lives of those affected by breast cancer.

Unite for HER is a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit breast cancer organization that educates young women about breast cancer and wellness. Since 2009, Unite for Her has worked to bridge the gap between the medical and wellness communities by educating women diagnosed with breast cancer about complementary therapies, providing them with a compassionate resource for support, knowledge and healing.