2010 - 2011

Community Grant Recipients

Southeastern Indiana Breast Health Screening and Education:

SouthEastern Indiana Cancer Health Network, Inc.

The goal of this project is to provide a Breast Cancer Screening and Education Program targeting 160 underserved rural women in three Southeastern Indiana counties: Dearborn, Ohio and Switzerland. SEICHN Inc. offers mobile mammography screenings, obtains resources, and disseminates accurate breast health education. Education includes culturally appropriate information so women can make informed choices about screening based on scientific data and their individual situations. Focusing on barriers to care of cost and distance and trust; we now see additional need for attention to the barrier of fear (a lack of trust in the system) because of high profile inconsistency in breast cancer screening guidelines. The objectives to accomplish the purpose of our project are directed to barriers of cost, distance and fear with an added emphasis on culturally appropriate education by: 1. Broadening our efforts in breast health education to include at least eight additional community presentations and community media information on breast cancer screening options; 2. Providing no-cost mammograms and the opportunity for CBE screenings to 160 rural, underserved women; 3. Maximizing resources from multiple funding sources.

Screening Mammography for Uninsured/Underinsured Indigent Women:

St. Elizabeth Medical Center

St. Elizabeth Healthcare seeks the financial support of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Greater Cincinnati affiliate, to provide 1,100 Screening mammograms to underserved women over the age of 40 in Northern Kentucky and Southeast Indiana. This funding will reduce financial and access barriers by allowing for screening mammography, follow-up diagnostic imaging, educational materials and site promotion. The St. Elizabeth Healthcare Mammography Program will be collaboration between the Northern Kentucky Women’s Cancer Coalition, St. Elizabeth Appalachian Help, Outreach, Prevention and Education Initiative, St. Elizabeth Women’s Wellness Nurse Navigator Program, YWCA Breast Health Network and Southeast Indiana Cancer Health Network. The program success will be measured by the number of screening mammograms and diagnostic procedures with an emphasis on expanding the service area. It is anticipated that 1,500 lives will be touched through this mammography outreach initiative. 

Hispanic and Minority Breast Health Outreach Program:

YWCA of Greater Cincinnati

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of death among Hispanic and African- American women.  Nationally more Caucasian women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year.  However, Hispanic and other ethnic minority women are more likely to die from the disease. Since breast cancer cannot be prevented, the greatest defense to reduce fatalities from this disease is early detection through education and access to mammogram screenings. The YWCA Hispanic and Minority Breast Health Outreach Program (BHOP) markets, implements, and provides mammograms for women in these underserved communities.  The Hispanic and Minority BHOP provide education, pre-registration and on-site registration for women in the Greater Cincinnati area.  The Hispanic and Minority BHOP coordinate and promote with local mammography provider sites specifically targeted to ethnic minority women. The Hispanic and Minority BHOP also assist ethnic minority women with financial questions, as well as guidance on the entire screening process.  Women in need of financial assistance will be enrolled in funding programs and be eligible to receive a no-cost screening mammogram.  Further, the YWCA Hispanic and Minority BHOP will provide educational outreach in the community.

Counseling, Information and Mileage for Breast Cancer Patients and Families:

Cancer Family Care

The mission of Cancer Family Care (CFC) is to strengthen the wellbeing and alleviate the suffering of children, adults, and families coping with cancer. Cancer touches every life in a family that is battling the disease and CFC helps fill in the gaps and provide essential programs not offered through medical treatment by being a force of compassion and strength in the face of cancer-related illness. CFC is proud to offer services to those suffering with breast cancer, the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women. The purpose of these programs is to increase the wellbeing of breast cancer patients and their families as they experience the psychosocial distress, anxiety, and depression associated with breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. Key activities of our Counseling Home and School Visits Program will include providing 110 breast cancer patients (and family members) with 293 counseling sessions in the home or school setting. This program will be evaluated regularly using process and impact evaluation measures to ensure delivery methods are working. Our counseling program has a positive, meaningful impact in the lives of program participation.

Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Syndrome: Life After a BRCA Mutation:

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center & St. Elizabeth Medical Center

The Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome: Life after a BRCA Mutation Project is an educational initiative to empower BRCA carriers and their families with updated and accurate information about Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer syndrome. Specifically, an educational conference will be organized to allow dissemination of information about breast cancer screening, treatment, and prevention in BRCA carriers. A secondary aim of this project is to provide ongoing psychological support for individuals who are at high risk of developing breast cancer. Grant funding will also allow uninsured and underinsured women with high risk for breast cancer access to genetic counseling and genetic testing services. The success of this project will be based on the number of women seen for genetic counseling services, in addition to the feedback received from participants of the BRCA Carriers Conference. This initiative will continue the collaboration between the Hereditary Cancer Programs of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) and St. Elizabeth Healthcare (SHE), with continued efforts to reach numerous women at risk for hereditary breast cancer in the 21 county service area of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Greater Cincinnati Affiliate.

Advancing the Circle of Care:

The Wellness Community of Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky (TWC)

For nearly 20 years, The Wellness Community (TWC) of Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky has promptly responded to diverse needs of cancer patients. Whether adding new programs, or adjusting core programming to ensure that cancer patients receive support services unique to their form of cancer, we are driven by our commitment to meeting the community’s needs. The continued growth of our breast cancer program reflects this commitment. We continue to modify and enhance breast cancer services by adding research based exercise programs and new support groups that address the stages of breast cancer.

Advancing the Circle of Care will continue this commitment, allowing us to serve minimally 180 women through targeted breast cancer support groups, networking groups and movement programs. This project recognizes the unique needs of women and their concerns related to a breast cancer diagnosis. Participant attendance and retention is monitored, and two surveys are administered to ensure the effectiveness of the programming. Our evaluation data suggests that the unique programs offered through the Circle of Care will help women strengthen the resources necessary for living their lives more fully.

Safety Net for Screening Follow-ups:

Mercy Hospital Anderson

The purpose of our project is to remove a financial barrier that keeps newly screened women from seeking follow-up/treatment. A nurse navigator will promote the program among referring organizations and help women receive timely follow-up procedures such as diagnostic mammograms and ultrasounds. If fully funded, a successful program will serve 75 individuals for 118 procedures within twelve months. The likely impact will be an increased number of diagnosed cancers in a timely fashion by eliminating a financial barrier to diagnostic testing. In the two prior years, The Women’s Center has expended funds quickly to keep up with demand. There is no comparable program for women 1. Under 40 not considered high risk or 2. Over 40 who are underinsured or whose income just exceeds the poverty guidelines. In the first nine months of the 2009 grant, The Women’s Center helped forty four women receive sixty nine procedures- these were women who would have otherwise postponed diagnostic tests, biopsies, and treatment. It expended 89% of funds in seven months; three new cases of cancer were detected as a result of this program. This program helps women who may not seem to be at high risk, but for whom financial cost is an absolute barrier.

Breast Health Navigator and Educational Materials:

Barrett Cancer Center, University Hospital

The Barrett Cancer Center at the University Hospital manages a diverse cross-section of patients, including patients with limited resources and low literacy- be it educational or as a consequence of immigration. The project would partly fund the salary of a nurse navigator, some transportation costs, and instructional materials for newly diagnosed patients. The Nurse Navigator, in communication with referring physicians or staff, triages patients to the appropriate provider. She teaches and provides psychosocial support one-on-one to patients diagnosed with breast cancer. She also acts as liaison between providers of multiple fields involved in breast cancer treatment, and assists in coordinating the weekly Breast Cancer Conference. The evaluation of the program includes total patients triaged; total patient contacts and calls; and evaluations by patients at the initiation and completion of their treatment. The position was initiated on a trial basis and the impact felt by patients. These activities were previously handled in an as hoc fashion as problems arose. The creation of a Nurse Navigator to help with more intensive teaching and support has helped more women complete their therapy.

TriHealth Mobile Mammography Van:

Institute- TriHealth Inc. - Bethesda and Good Samaritan Hospitals

The TriHealth Mobile Mammography Van will improve access for the 37% of the population of women over the age of 40 in the area that do not obtain regular mammograms and bolster the visible presence and ease of access to TriHealth’s Women’s Services in the community. The van will also provide diagnostic screening mammograms for women through our presence at health fairs, senior centers, community clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, places of worship, worksites, and community centers. Women served will be involved through evaluations of their mammography experience, completed after screenings occur. Results of these evaluations will be used to improve the services provided by the mobile mammography van. Dissemination of the results will occur through breast panel meetings and meetings amongst staff and supervisors. The TriHealth Mobile Mammography Van will give women greater access to mammograms by bringing services to them. By making mammograms more readily available to underserved women in our service area, we hope to increase the number of women who regularly receive mammograms and increase the number of women who receive treatment for cancer diagnosis early.    

Breast Adipose Bioactivates Vitamin D and Prevention of Breast Cancer

Dr. Glendon Zinser, University of Cincinnati

University of Cincinnati researchers will study whether Vitamin D plays any protective role against breast cancer.