May 12, 2016, Portland, OR – Susan G. Komen Oregon & SW Washington announces today that it is investing more than $1,132,000 to help drive its priorities and further its mission.
“Saving lives and promoting quality of life helps us move our work forward and closer to a cure for breast cancer. That is our promise,” says Andrew Asato, Chief Executive Officer. Work has moved forward for Komen since 1982, when the five-year survival rate was just 74%. It is now is 99% with early detection. The death rate has dropped by 33%.
“But, right now in our region, 63 people are newly diagnosed each week, and 11 people will lose their fight to breast cancer. Our reach is widespread and progress is bright”, Asato mentions. Komen has a renewed vision for the next year, sources of support, and invaluable partnerships across communities in Oregon and SW Washington:
- Screening Services: $98,320 - Provides breast cancer screening, diagnostic services, and genetic counseling and testing to eligible people whose income is less than 250% of the Federal Poverty Level, who are uninsured or underinsured, and symptomatic.
- Treatment Access Program: $90,000 - Helps remove barriers for people to obtain treatment. Financial assistance forgas, food, and lodging while in treatment is a critical need for some people – it could be the difference between electricity and transportation to the hospital.
- Latina Initiative: $220,000 - Uses an intervention method, the Pathways Model, to reach out to, educate, and navigate Latina women, in 4 target areas who have not been screened in 4+ years, through the processes of getting their mammogram and, if necessary, treatment.
- Disparity Grants: $174,702 - Supports Komen’s education & outreach, screening, treatment, and survivor support for disparate communities – rural, Russian, Latino, etc.
- Worship in Pink/African American Initiative: $41,000 - Educates and empowers women of all faiths to take charge of their breast health by providing messages of hope, education, and inspiration. Select congregations with high African American attendance will help navigate women who have not received a mammogram in more than five years, to help decrease late-stage diagnosis.
- Breast Cancer Issues Conference: $38,000 - Provides a forum for survivors, co-survivors, health professionals, and high risk individuals to gain knowledge about breast health and breast cancer, learn about new treatments and therapies, find support in the community, and feel empowered in regards to their health.
- Eugene Breast Cancer Forum: $10,000 - Focuses on education and discussions between survivors, fighters, healthcare professionals, and HR representatives from the local community around breast cancer in the work place.
- Small Partnership Opportunities: $10,000 - Supports small projects of up to $2,000, per organization, to implement activities around breast cancer survivors or breast cancer education and outreach.
- National Research Grant: $450,000 to Providence Cancer Center and Dr. William Redmond - Local dollars, combined with other Komen Affiliates, nationwide, are funding cutting-edge research where the most difficult questions remain. Komen funds research in 18 countries in order to better understand breast cancer biology and develop new courses of treatment.
About Susan G. Komen Oregon and SW Washington
In 25 years, the local organization has funneled nearly $19.8 million into programs that prioritize the importance of improving and building on the quality of life for survivors, emphasize the value of early detection and screenings, as well as financial assistance for access to treatment. Another $11.9 million has been dedicated to local cutting edge research. More information is available atKomenOregon.org.
About Susan G. Komen
Susan G. Komen is the world’s largest breast cancer organization, funding more breast cancer research than any other nonprofit while providing real-time help to those facing the disease. Nationally, since its founding in 1982, Komen has funded $2.6 billion in funding to research, screening, education, treatment and psychosocial support programs serving millions of people in more than 30 countries worldwide.
