TAMPA, Fla., Oct. 26, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ultimate Medical Academy (UMA) continued its record-breaking team numbers as they virtually gathered for the American Cancer Society’s (ACS) 2020 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk. More than 2,600 employees, students, alumni and partners from across the country joined Team UMA to create the largest Making Strides team of any organization nationwide, all walking in their respective places on October 17, 2020, to help raise awareness and financial support for the healthcare cause.
Last year, with 1,154 walkers, UMA had the largest Making Strides team from a single organization in the nation. Rather than feeling limited by 2020’s unique circumstances that required the event to be virtual, UMA team members embraced their ability to engage the institution’s nationwide community and make an even bigger impact for this important cause. In fact, UMA shattered their 2020 goal to double last year’s impact and built a record-breaking team of 2,633 walkers, again earning the honor of largest team in the nation. Through these efforts, UMA helped to raise more than $50,000 for ACS and Making Strides.
In addition to this year’s team effort, UMA President Thomas Rametta also participated in the Real Men Wear Pink (RMWP) Campaign. Typically, RMWP participants are charged with raising at least $2,500, but Rametta committed to $25,000 and has so far raised more than $33,000 for the cause, making him the fifth-ranked RMWP candidate in the country.
“Within our UMA community alone, so many people have faced a cancer diagnosis themselves or had a loved one impacted by cancer, and we know that’s the case for so many others too,” said Beth Garland, UMA’s senior vice president of human resources and the chair of this year’s Making Strides event in Tampa. “At UMA, we participate in Making Strides to show our support for those team members and to, hopefully, inspire other organizations and individuals to use their collective strength for the good of this cause as well. The fight against cancer is not an easy one, but by coming together as an organization and a community, we can make a difference.”
In addition to funding cancer research, ACS helps patients and their families in tangible ways such as transporting patients to treatments and surgeries, helping patients and survivors with self-care as they endure the effects of treatment, and coming to a caregiver’s or patient’s aid when they have questions or concerns at any hour. These services have become even more important as healthcare resources and staff have felt additional burdens during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This year has been unimaginably difficult for so many individuals and organizations,” said Rametta. “When I learned that the American Cancer Society’s ability to fund research may be reduced by up to 50% in 2020 due to the impacts of the pandemic, it seemed especially important to step up and contribute to this important healthcare cause. I was honored to be part of the Real Men Wear Pink campaign, and I am so proud of Team UMA for coming together – even though we are all apart at this time – to help make an impact.”
UMA is a nonprofit healthcare educational institution with a ground campus in Clearwater, Florida and online students across the country. Healthcare is at the heart of what UMA’s students, team members and employer partners stand for, and Making Strides has become an annual tradition for the institution. In general, giving back to the community is a key part of the culture at UMA.
UMA regularly contributes to a number of causes and was recently recognized by the Tampa Bay Business Journal as a 2020 One Tampa Bay Honoree because of its philanthropic support in the community.
UMA is proud to be a sponsor and supporter of this premier event in Hillsborough County, Florida for the seventh consecutive year. Through the Making Strides walk, UMA is offering its support for anyone who has experienced their own cancer journey and thanking all the people who have joined ACS in the fight against breast cancer.
To learn more about UMA and their commitment to serving the community, visit https://www.ultimatemedical.edu/about/community-outreach/.
About Ultimate Medical Academy:
The need for skilled healthcare workers in the United States is critical and continues to grow. Ultimate Medical Academy (UMA) is an accredited, nonprofit educational institution that helps to meet that need by equipping and empowering students to do vital work at the heart of healthcare. In addition to offering diploma and degree programs, UMA works closely with healthcare companies to connect students directly to job opportunities.
Founded in 1994 and based in Tampa, Florida, UMA offers hands-on learning at its main campus in Clearwater, Florida as well as content-rich, interactive programs through its online campus. The institution supports students through every step of their journey with access to academic support, interview and resume coaching, job search assistance, technical support and more.
UMA has more than 63,000 alumni and 14,000 students nationwide. It also has three individually accredited centers for Continuing Medical Education (CME) that provide ongoing training and professional development opportunities to more than 30,000 physicians, nurses and other medical professionals throughout the U.S. annually.
UMA is institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES, www.ABHES.org). The continuing medical education programs are individually accredited and are not included within the institution’s grant of accreditation from ABHES.
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