HEALTH REPORT

SCI-Muncy inmates reveal stories of medical neglect, high cancer rates

 Written by:  Melissa Farenish

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Muncy, Pa. --  “Shavonne had a great sense of humor. She really liked her friends. What you see is what you got with her. She was a straight shooter. She was well liked at Muncy,” said Ellen Melchiondo, a volunteer from the Pennsylvania Prison Society. She recently spoke about Shavonne Robbins, one of the many inmates she became acquainted with at the women’s State Correctional Institute – Muncy.

Robbins is one of the recent cancer deaths among women who served time at Muncy. She died on December 15, 2019 at the age of 43 after battling several years with a rare abdominal mucous cancer. Robbins, who was serving a life sentence, was at Muncy for 25 years before being released in 2017.  READ MORE

Message from WLRP

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Physical and Mental Health issues continue to be a concerning factor as women age behind prison walls. Are they getting the proper care needed to remain healthy?  What type of physical and mental health issues do they face every day?  

The women were asked if they would like to share some of their health issues in order to better inform the public about living life behind prison walls.  Positive responses were received so, Health Report is now a new topic added on the resume'.  The written resume' assessments of the women's health issues do not necessarily represent diagnosis made by the medical community but they do identify personal health conditions of which, through pain and uncertainty, the women continue to progressively work through in their quest for continuing education and living as active working participants within their prison community -  as they continue to pray that one day, in the near future, they will be blessed with the opportunity to take their skills and knowledge to the outside communities.  

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Sylvia Boykin

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Sylvia Boykin, age 61, is a mother of three, a grandmother of seven, an enthusiastic member of her church community, a Certified Mental Health Peer Specialist, and a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. While growing up in a Philadelphia home destroyed by drugs and alcohol, she was a victim of both incest and rape at a young age. These crimes were 

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