Grounds for Health Celebrates 25 Years at Hula Lakeside in Vermont!

Dagmawi, our Africa Program Director, flew in from Ethiopia to be with us —seen here with our Executive Director, Ellen Starr

Last month, we hosted a lakefront celebration in Burlington, VT to mark 25 years of cervical cancer prevention in Latin America and Africa, and to recognize our co-founder Dan Cox of Shelburne, VT. Over 100 people attended at Hula Lakeside, enjoying wonderful food from Cloud 9 Caterers and cocktails from Deli 126, a short program and slideshow of photos, and music from Ethiopia and Kenya where we are currently working.

Co-founder Dan Cox, with his wife Casey & daughter Julia

In 1996, Dan Cox and co-founder, Dr. Francis Fote, saw firsthand how women in coffee-growing communities in Mexico were dying of cervical cancer, a preventable disease. Cervical cancer kills one woman every two minutes, and over 90% of those deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries where women do not have access to basic, preventive health services. They decided to act, and what initially started as a volunteer organization has since evolved into a highly respected global health organization, known for being on-the-ground implementers who achieve significant, sustained impact.

In the past 25 years, we have screened over 162,000 women for cervical precancer, treating over 13,500 of them for signs of early disease. By prioritizing local staff and partners, community education, capacity building, and innovative approaches to program design and clinical tools, Grounds for Health achieves sustainable, systems-level change in rural and coffee-growing communities globally. Most importantly, we ensure that women are treated with respect and compassion, and that families and communities champion and benefit from women living healthy, productive lives.

Executive Director, Ellen Starr, addresses the crowd

This event was a testament to the incredible work Grounds for Health has brought to the global health community, and the support we’ve received from both the international coffee industry and local Vermonters. The energy in the room showcased the immense power of our supporters around the world to enable us to save lives and focus attention on women’s health equity. It also ended with a beautiful sunset. We thank everyone who attended!