SUSAN G. KOMEN® NORTH & WEST TEXAS AWARDS $287,826 TO SUPPORT LOCAL PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE MAMMOGRAMS, DIAGNOSTICS, BREAST CANCER TREAMENT, PATIENT NAVIGATION, AND EDUCATION
PLANO, TX – APRIL 1, 2020 – Susan G. Komen® North & West Texas today announced $287,286 in new community grants for 2020. These awards help meet the most critical needs of the community, including projects that provide vitally needed breast cancer screening, diagnostic and treatment services and support, including patient navigation, education and outreach programs targeting the African American, Hispanic/Latino and rural communities.
This year’s local Komen grants were awarded to:
Bridge Breast Network – “Bridging Breast Health Access in North Texas”
The Bridge Breast Network (BBN) strives to reduce the incidents of late-stage diagnosis and deaths from breast cancer by providing education, navigation and access to breast health services to underserved populations and areas. BBN collaborates with 300 medical providers and 200 community partners to provide North Texas area residents with services throughout the breast cancer continuum of care. BBN can provide complete breast cancer treatment for a woman with early stage diagnosis for approx. $20,000. This program provides breast/health education to 400 individuals, navigate 200 women to clinical services and breast cancer treatment/survivorship services to 5 individuals.
Harrington Cancer and Health Foundation – “Breast Cancer Screening & Detection Program”
The Harrington Cancer and Health Foundation’s (HCHF) project, in collaboration with the Harrington Breast Center (HBC), will provide screening mammography & diagnostic breast evaluation for uninsured & underinsured women in the 26 counties of the TX Panhandle. The project targets women of all ages who do not have funding to pay for these services, & will utilize the physical HBC location as well as the HBC’s mobile mammography coach, which removes the barriers of travel cost, time away from work, & lack of transportation to provide these breast health services. Additionally, by partnering with HBC, if/when someone is diagnosed with breast cancer, they will be treated at Harrington Cancer Center where they may qualify for assistance.
Methodist Richardson Medical Center Foundation – “Asian Breast Health Outreach Project (ABHOP)”
ABHOP provides understandable, culturally appropriate breast health education and access to preventive breast care services for the at-risk minority populations in our communities. The program addresses the linguistic, knowledge, cultural, and/or financial barriers that keep the minority populations from taking preventive health care measures. Program’s dedicated staff speaks commonly spoken languages to navigate access to care with scheduling capability, registration assistance, on-site education, and systematic follow-up of exams until diagnosis is reached. By bringing understandable early cancer education, detection access, and traction to continue care, ABHOP hopes to find cancer at earlier stages giving higher chances of survival.
North Central Texas Community Healthcare Center, Inc. – “Breast Cancer Screening & Diagnostic Services Program”
The Breast Cancer Screening Program will provide access to high quality screening and diagnostic services to low income, uninsured /underinsured women. Community Healthcare Center (CHC) will provide services to Caucasian, Hispanic, and African American women who are aged 50 years and below and who reside in the counties of Archer, Baylor, Clay, Collin, Cottle, Foard, Hardeman, Knox, Montague, Wichita, Wilbarger and Wise. CHC will serve an estimated 150 patients. CHC continues meeting needs of this population by providing them with mammograms, ultrasounds, sonograms, biopsies, consults and other services as needed.
Texas Health Resources Foundation – “Texas Health Early Detection and Individualized Treatment (EDIT) Program
Texas Health Resources, through a collaboration between Texas Health Plano and Texas Health Wellness for Life Mobile Health will provide 200 mammograms to low-income, underinsured/uninsured and culturally and/or geographically isolated women in Collin, Denton Rockwall and Wise counties, as well as follow-up diagnostic services, through its EDIT program. EDIT reduces barriers to care via mobile screenings in an effort to meet women where they live, work, play and pray, and through provision of individualized patient navigation services. The project also offers one-on-one and group education utilizing community health workers. EDIT provides women with the education & tools they need to become proactive in their breast health care.
University Medical Center Foundation – “Breast Cancer Care”
There is dignity and value in every life. Shame and fear over inability to pay for breast screening and breast cancer services should not encroach on one’s sense of value. This project is designed to assist uninsured and underinsured patients. The project seeks to encourage women who have never had a mammogram to complete a screening mammogram. It will also help to support those who have previous screenings, but remain unable to pay for additional screenings. Annual mammograms are recommended to identify early-onset cancer. The second portion of this project seeks to assist patients in covering the cost of treatment as well as transportation to the Cancer Center. Treatment is most effective when the patient is able to comply with the plan of care.
UT Southwestern, Moncrief Cancer Institute – “Breast Cancer Screening and Patient Navigation Program (BSPAN)”
Moncrief Cancer Institute provides breast screening and patient navigation for medically underserved women across the Komen North and West Texas service area, specifically Archer, Baylor, Clay, Collin, Cooke, Denton, Fannin, Grayson, Hunt, Lamar, Montague, Wichita, Wilbarger, and Wise counties. Through its established BSPAN program, MCI is able to target those women living in rural communities. MCI continues to see an increase in the utilization of the screening and diagnostic services offered through this program annually. The program validates the importance of partnering with local facilities to increase accessibility and understanding the inherent needs of the target population.
YWCA of Lubbock – “Women’s Health Initiative”
The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) focuses on women and men in Lubbock and the seventeen surrounding counties of the South Plains who fall within 200% of poverty guidelines and have no health insurance coverage or who are under-insured. The program offers free education, screening and diagnostic breast cancer services to medically under-served women, who are 18 to 64 years of age. If diagnosed with breast cancer, WHI staff help women qualify for assistance through the Medicaid for Breast and Cervical Cancer (MBCC) program. The program is one of the only programs in the South Plains that can arrange critical care services to women without insurance or who are under-insured and who are diagnosed with breast cancer.
“Within the 91 counties that make up our service area, Komen North & West Texas partners with organizations to fund the life-saving breast health services that women and men in our community who have little or no insurance would otherwise have to go without. We are proud to invest in this group of dedicated organizations who serve such a large geographic area and are committed to the fight against breast cancer in their local communities,” said Mary Frances Hoover, Executive Director.
Since 1991, Komen North & West Texas has funded more than $15 million to community projects serving local women and men, while contributing more than $3 million to Komen’s national research grants program.
“We are so thankful for the friends, family and neighbors who fight alongside us, helping to reduce the number of breast cancer deaths in North & West Texas, both on the ground and through research,” said Hoover.
About Susan G. Komen®
Susan G. Komen® is the world’s leading nonprofit breast cancer organization, working to save lives and end breast cancer forever. Komen has an unmatched, comprehensive 360-degree approach to fighting this disease across all fronts and supporting millions of people in the U.S. and in countries worldwide. We advocate for patients, drive research breakthroughs, improve access to high-quality care, offer direct patient support and empower people with trustworthy information. Born out of a promise between two sisters, Susan G. Komen remains committed to supporting those affected by breast cancer today, while tirelessly searching for tomorrow’s cures.
About Susan G. Komen® North & West Texas
Komen North & West Texas is helping to fuel research, advocate for patients and support people facing breast cancer locally through a variety of direct patient-centered services and by collaborating with area providers to remove barriers and connect people to needed care across our 91-county service area. For more information, call 972-378-4808 or visit info@komennwtx.org.
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