Current Grant Recipients

Susan G. Komen for the Cure SW FL
2010/11 Grant Slate
TOTAL GRANTS ALLOCATION:  $821,166

Lee Memorial Health System/Regional Cancer Center:  Breast CARE (Cancer Assistance Resource Expansion) $175,536

Lee County accounts for approximately 5% of the 12,650 Florida women who are diagnosed with breast cancer each year and ranks number one in SW Florida.  It is anticipated over 550 women/men will be diagnosed, staged, and treated for breast cancer at Lee Memorial Health System (LMHS) this year. The Breast CARE (Cancer Assistance Resource Expansion) Program provides under/uninsured, low income Lee, Collier and Hendry county residents diagnosed with breast cancer access to diagnostic and staging procedures, treatment, genetic screening, stipends, psychosocial support, education and navigation.  A Breast Health Navigator works with other organizations and physicians to identify those in need of services and to remove care barriers.  Collaboration with other programs helps the Breast CARE Program prevent service duplication, thus saving scarce healthcare/grant dollars. The program ensures seamless care continuity for patients who otherwise would not seek nor have the availability to secure medical attention.  The Komen grant dollars are for patient care.  LMHS covers the personnel salary.

Priority Area Addressed: Improving and increasing resources for diagnostic testing, staging procedures, and treatment for uninsured/underinsured and/or low income population.  Geographical Area Served: Lee, Hendry and Collier County

Family Health Centers of Southwest Florida, Inc.:  Jessie Trice Breast Cancer Prevention Project $115,885

The Jessie Trice Breast Cancer Prevention Project provides education and screening services aimed at early detection of breast cancer in women from low-income, African-American and Hispanic communities in order to reduce the rates of illness and death for these patient populations. The Healthy Body, Healthy Soul model is used to forge partnerships with community health and faith-based institutions to provide outreach education and screening.  The key is penetrating underserved communities via face-to-face outreach efforts. Without the staff doing outreach there would be no need for the screening, diagnostic and treatment components of the program. In 2010-2011, the project plans to educate and screen another 800 women, expand outreach to 200 migrant farm worker women in Lee and Hendry Counties.

Priority area addressed: Improving and increasing resources for diagnostic testing, staging procedures, and treatment for uninsured/underinsured and/or low income population.   Geographical Area Served: All of Lee, Charlotte and Hendry Counties with existing outreach programs in Hendry County to incorporate the work of the Jessie Trice Cancer Prevention Project breast health component.

Lymphedema Resources, Inc.:  Lymphedema Education and Treatment Project $42,504

This grant will continue funding a program of education, outreach and treatment for uninsured/underinsured breast cancer survivors at risk of developing lymphedema and for those already coping with this affliction in Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee.  Financial assistance for physician-prescribed lymphedema therapy and compression garments is provided to qualified clients. A six-session program of gentle exercise is offered to breast cancer survivors in 6 locations in the 5 - county service area to promote a safe return to physical activity and wellness regardless of how long ago breast cancer treatment occurred. A significant impact is made to the quality of life and self esteem of our clients, through education about the risks of lymphedema, the importance of proper treatment, if required, and emotional support. Our focus as a community-based volunteer organization is to raise awareness of the potential for development of lymphedema, to assure availability of the resources for treatment and to eliminate barriers for those with lymphedema. 

Priority Area Addressed:  Increasing resources available to the uninsured/underinsured, low-income population. Geographic Area Served: Five counties in southwest Florida – Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee

Partners for Breast Cancer Care - Heartfelt Hope  $173,649

The mission of the organization is to save lives and reduce suffering from breast cancer through improved access to healthcare.  The focus of The Partners for Breast Cancer Care is to improve accessibility to healthcare including diagnostic testing, surgery and other breast cancer-related issues.  The organization serves a diverse patient population and includes both women and men clients under the age of 50 and over the age of 65.   The services of The Partners for Breast Cancer Care include case management work up, arranging physician office visits, mammograms, surgeries and payment for the diagnostic tests, physician fees and surgical fees.  The organization is extremely challenged to continue operation due to the overwhelming demand that has had an unprecedented increase this past fiscal year.  The benefit to the women and men of the Lee County, Florida community is a profound impact on health and breast cancer survival. 

Priority Area Addressed:  Improving and increasing resources for diagnostic testing, staging procedures, and treatment for uninsured/underinsured and/or low income population. Geographical Area Served: Lee County

CHS Healthcare - Immokalee to succeed without breast cancer $89,469

The purpose of this project is to fund breast care education, transportation, screening and diagnostic procedures for predominately uninsured/underinsured, low income, rurally located minority women for whom no other funding is available.  A full time Breast Health Educator, equally funded by CHS and Susan G Komen for the Cure Southwest Florida, will educate women in our rural community, in and away from the healthcare setting, of the importance of proper breast health.  The Breast Health Educator will assist patients in scheduling routine breast exams, mammograms and diagnostic procedures.  CHS will provide transportation for patients for breast care appointments. Patients will be referred to other programs for services not available through this grant should further services been needed. The goal is reduce the number of undetected cases of breast cancer for low income, uninsured/underinsured, rurally located women of our community. 

Priority area addressed: Increasing resources available to the uninsured/underinsured, low-income population. Geographical Area Served: Predominately Immokalee Residents - Collier County

NCH Healthcare System - Breast Cancer Care $44,637

This multifaceted grant contributes to all aspects of the breast cancer patient experience from education, diagnosis and treatment to quality of life concerns. The Breast Health Patient Navigation (BHPN) program will guide patients through the complex healthcare system, advocate for them by reducing barriers to care and ensuring they receive support, diagnostic services and education. The BHPN will advocate for financial aid to reduce treatment barriers, assist in arranging screening and diagnostic services to ensure that follow-up care, as well as help with appropriate social services and local resources for support. Funds will also supplement outpatient infusion services to continue treatment to un/underinsured women to prevent an unnecessary and costly inpatient hospital stay.

Priority area addressed: Increasing resources available to the uninsured/underinsured, low-income population. Geographical Area Served:  Collier County

Manatee County Health Department - Mammograms for the Cure $55,297

Mammograms for the Cure is a breast cancer screening program providing services to, underinsured women under 50 in Charlotte, Glades and Hendry Counties, and 50-64 in those counties plus Collier and Lee. The project focuses on breast health awareness, healthy lifestyle choices, awareness of normal for one's own breasts and the importance of routine screening.  We provide mammography, diagnostics and follow-up. This year we propose providing breast cancer screening and diagnostics to at least 200 women in Charlotte, Hendry and Glades Counties, too young to qualify for the Florida Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (FBCCP). We will assist with screening and diagnostics for at least 300 FBCCP-enrolled women (50-64) in the 5-county region. The program utilizes education and outreach focused on indigent, underserved women, Hispanics and Blacks to increase service access and raise awareness about breast health for improved early detection and survival rates.  Project participants diagnosed with cancer will be assisted to obtain treatment.

Priority Area Addressed:  Increasing resources available to the uninsured/underinsured, low-income population. Geographical Area Served: Charlotte, Glades, Hardy for 50 and under; plus Collier and Lee Counties for the FBCCP.

Neighborhood Health Clinic, Inc.:  Breast Health $73,277

The mission of the Neighborhood Health Clinic is to provide health care for the working, low income, uninsured adults of Collier County, using a volunteer professional staff and funded by private philanthropy.  The Clinic's motto is "to provide care for those who choose work over welfare". The Program's goal is to provide breast health to all female Clinic patients by giving them the opportunity to participate self breast exam instruction, including multilingual DVD viewing. As needed they receive: a clinical examination by a physician; screening mammograms; diagnostic procedures; surgery; and treatment. This program will: further education of women on yearly screening guidelines; use of reminder postcards; standardization of "clinician recommendation" education. Additional objectives will be to provide visual cues to promote annual screening, standardizing the tracking and prompts for mammography referrals and completion and establishing a screening to diagnostic testing protocol.

Priority Area Addressed:  Increasing resources available to the uninsured/underinsured, low-income population. Geographical Area Served: Collier

Lucy's Angels for Breast Cancer Care, Inc: Project Early Detection Saves Lives  $5,520

Lucy's Angels for Breast Cancer Care, Inc will expand awareness that early detection for breast cancer saves lives.  LA will reach out to educate the residents of Hendry and Glades Counties.  They  will place emphasis on the underserved Hispanic and Black communities, as well as the younger population ages 18 to 50, on the importance of early detection and the assistance available for breast cancer.  Through this education program we anticipate that our free mammogram program will increase from 8 mammograms per month to 12 per month. 

Priority area addressed: Increasing breast health awareness and education activities. Geographical Area Served: Hendry and Glades.  Florida charts shows that almost 50% of Hendry County and 21% of Glades County is Hispanic.  In 2008, 35.5% of Hendry residents were uninsured and the median household income was $33,592, 200% below  the Federal Poverty Guidelines for a family a three. 41.2% of women age 40 and over had not had a mammogram.

LIGHT of SW FL -  Uninterrupted Breast Cancer Treatment $14,720

Even with health insurance, many breast cancer patients find they must discontinue therapy due to the high cost of deductibles, copays, coinsurance and/or insurance premiums. As employers cut back on their contributions high employee costs become an even greater burden during a time when the cancer patients may also be facing decreased income or layoffs. Financial stress increases the burden of the critically ill. Patients can be forced to make decisions between mortgage payments, medications, or treatment. LIGHT of SW Florida's goal is to ensure that the patient has uninterrupted cancer treatment by providing funds to pay these costs. Applications are screened for need and then forwarded to the Patient Assistance Committee for review. Approved applicants may then submit their bills to LIGHT for payment, allowing them to continue or begin their treatment. With this financial help, patients can focus on their goal of getting well and defeating their cancer.

Virginia B. Andes Volunteer Community Clinic- $30,672

Priority Area Addressed: Increasing resources available to the uninsured/underinsured, low-income population. Geographical Area Served:  Southwest Florida