Local Resources

The following are local programs and services that have been funded by the Greater Cincinnati Affiliate of Susan G. Komen. Additionally our Affiliate works closely with a number of breast health agencies, organizations and companies to identify all the possible resources to support a woman through her breast cancer treatment. Resources available in the Greater Cincinnati area vary from getting your mammogram, identifying a breast cancer support group to even securing financial assistance as you go through your breast cancer treatment. 

Download the Mobile Mammography Schedule for May 2013.

Download the list of Mammography sites in the area.

Breast health and breast cancer education materials can be downloaded at no charge or  ordered  for a small fee at any time from Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Screening Mammography for Uninsured/Underinsured Indigent Women:
St. Elizabeth Healthcare
St. Elizabeth Healthcare seeks the financial support of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Greater Cincinnati affiliate, to provide 1,200 Screening mammograms, 150 diagnostic mammograms, and 80 breast ultrasounds to underserved women and men over the age of 40 in Northern Kentucky and Southeast Indiana. This funding will reduce financial and access barriers by allowing for digital mammography screenings, follow-up diagnostic imaging and educational materials to reach greater populations in these areas. The St. Elizabeth Healthcare Mammography Program will be a collaborative effort 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 (SEICHN). The program success will be measured by the number of screening mammograms and diagnostic procedures administered, 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 mammograms. 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. The Hispanic and Minority BHOP anticipates reaching 325 Hispanic and other minority women for screening services and approximately 1,000 Hispanic and other minority women with their Great Beginnings educational program.

Counseling, Information, and Home/School Visits for Breast Cancer Patients and their 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 151 families with counseling sessions in the home or school setting. In addition, CFC will provide telephone-based support services to 450 individuals. These programs 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 participants.

Emergency Aid Program for Breast Cancer Survivors
Cancer Family Care
The Emergency Aid Program for Breast Cancer Survivors will supplement a currently existing program that offers financial assistance to women undergoing treatment for breast cancer. The existing program that offers these financial funds for qualifying women in treatment are limited in dollar amount and to the state of Ohio. These supplemental dollars offered by the Greater Cincinnati Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure® expands the financial assistance and service offerings to women undergoing breast cancer treatment in the Northern Kentucky and the Southeastern Indiana areas. These funds will not only increase the number of women served, but will also increase the amount of one-time financial assistance that a woman in treatment is eligible for. It is anticipated that these emergency funds will impact the lives of approximately 150 women in the Greater Cincinnati area.

Safety Net for Screening Follow-ups:
Mercy Hospital Anderson
The purpose of this project is to provide diagnostic breast health services for women with financial need who do not qualify for other assistance programs. The program provides a “safety net” for low and moderate income newly-screened women in order to remove the financial barrier that keeps them from seeking follow-up and/or 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. The likely impact of this project will result in timely scheduling of follow-up procedures and increased number of early stage diagnosed cancers by eliminating a financial barrier to diagnostic testing. 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 200% of the poverty guidelines. In the first nine months of the 2010 grant, the Women’s Center helped 54 patients, including two men; received 76 procedures – patients who would have otherwise postponed diagnostic tests, biopsies, and treatment. One new case of cancer was detected in the first nine months of this program.

Breaking Barriers: Breast Health Navigator, Transportation and Educational Materials:
University Hospital/Barrett Cancer Center
The Barrett Cancer Center at the University Hospital manages a diverse cross-section of patients, including patients with limited resources and low literacy. The project would partly fund the salary of a nurse navigator, some transportation costs, and instructional materials for newly diagnosed patients. The Navigator, in communication with referring physicians or staff, triages patients to the appropriate provider. She teaches and provides one-on-one psychosocial support to patients diagnosed with breast cancer. She also serves as a 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 the successful completion of treatment with the standard of care. A centralized approach to guiding patients through therapy has given the navigator the freedom to initiate new contacts to assist others within the multiple disciplines to assist more women in completing their therapy.

Southeastern Indiana Breast Cancer Safety Net and Pink Saturday Projects
Dearborn County Hospital
The purpose of the Southeastern Indiana Breast Cancer Safety Net and Pink Saturday Projects are to provide funding for uninsured and underinsured women who are medically appropriate to have annual digital screening mammograms and when clinically indicated, to have diagnostic follow-up in the form of a digital diagnostic mammogram and/or a diagnostic breast ultrasound. The purpose is to encourage the use of screening mammography and to provide access to diagnostic mammography and ultrasound to underserved women in Dearborn, Ohio, and Switzerland counties. This project will (1) inform physicians, healthcare providers and others of resources for underserved women including quarterly Pink Saturdays to provide free digital mammography for women who meet project guidelines, (2) coordinate care through Breast Center Nurse Navigator, 4 if appropriate, (3) perform screening and/or diagnostic mammography and diagnostic ultrasound as clinically indicated, and (4) coordinate follow-up after exam(s) as appropriate. Compile and evaluate number of women being served in each modality whom otherwise would have limited access to care. This project anticipates reaching approximately 340 women with the Safety Net and Pink Saturday Projects. The overall goal of the project is to provide greater access to screening mammography and follow-up for underserved women so breast cancer can be detected and treated early – in turn saving lives.

Breast Care Center Nurse Navigator/FNP Project
Dearborn County Hospital
The Breast Care Center Nurse Navigator/FNP Project’s purpose is to offer a comprehensive breast center that will provide and coordinate care ranging from baseline screening mammography to scheduling and follow-up of advanced diagnostic, therapeutic, surgical, and/or reconstructive procedures. The Breast Center will provide education, reference and support for clients and the public. It will be staffed by a full time, dedicated Breast Care Nurse Navigator/FNP, General and Plastic/Reconstructive Surgeons and Registered Radiologic Technologists. Key activities of the Nurse Navigators/FNP will consist of: (1) identifying appropriate underserved women, (2) facilitating diagnostic, therapeutic, surgical and reconstructive procedures and (3) providing education and support. Project evaluation will be based on the number of clients served along with the number of services provided. Process evaluation will also be included as part of the evaluation. The Nurse Navigator/FNP will work to increase the number of underserved women receiving routine breast care. The Nurse Navigator/FNP will follow-up with clients requiring additional services and provide support and education, allowing more underserved women to be introduced to proper breast care practices so that more cancers can be detected and treated earlier.

Community Mammography Projects
Multiple area providers
In an effort to increase the number of women that have access to early screening, early detection, and diagnostic services in their own area, the Greater Cincinnati Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure® has partnered with a number of providers within the Greater Cincinnati and Greater Dayton areas to provide screening and diagnostic mammography services to uninsured or underinsured women in their areas. As determined by the Komen Greater Cincinnati’s biennial needs assessment, the areas selected were counties that illustrated low access to breast health services and a high need for such services. For a complete listing of counties targeted for this project and the providers partnering with Komen Greater Cincinnati in this community effort, please contact our office.

For more information about the Komen Greater Cincinnati Community Health Programs, please contact:
Amy Weber, M.Ed., CHES Community Health Programs Manager
522 Cincinnati Mills Dr., Suite B248
Cincinnati, Ohio 45240
513-671-9100 Ext. 205
mission@komencincinnati.org