National Spotlight

2011 Grant Awards

African American Breast Cancer Alliance, Inc., Minneapolis, MN

Project Title: Breast Cancer Survivor Support Program

Grant Award: $94,080.00

African American/Black women experience more aggressive, deadly cancers resulting in higher breast cancer mortality rates.  Research shows a lack of information, delayed medical treatment and reduced follow-up care continues to plague African American women. As the only peer survivor support organization for African Americans diagnosed with breast cancer, the African American Breast Cancer Alliance (AABCA) proposes to strengthen its mission by much needed public awareness, outreach and direct services.  The networking efforts of the AABCA will develop a community wide public relations campaign to the Minneapolis/St Paul metropolitan area to accomplish its mission to:  1) Increase awareness and access to the AABCA organization and its culturally specific, peer led, psychosocial patient/survivor support services; 2) Fortify the essential support services of the AABCA; and 3) Expand the educational and outreach networks between community organizatio ns and patients and survivors.  Activities and results will be evaluated as to the number of clients, patients and organizations reached and involved in building community connections, networking, sharing information to empower patients and survivors in order to have a positive impact and create better outcomes for African American breast cancer survivors.

Angel Foundation, Minneapolis, MN

Project Title: Financial Assistance Program

Grant Award: $100,000.00

Founded to support families when cancer strikes, funding for this program will be used to provide emergency grants (rent/mortgage, groceries, phone/utility payments, gas/bus vouchers to and from treatment) to qualifying breast cancer survivors. In addition, Angel Foundation’s free education and support (Facing Cancer Together – FaCT) program focuses on strengths-based programming for all members of the family. To be eligible for a grant, the applicant must be over 18 years of age and currently living in, or receiving treatment in, the seven-county metro area. Applicants must be referred to the program by their treating physician or social worker. Detailed reports regarding grant recipients and disbursements are maintained and reviewed by staff on a weekly basis and by the Board at their bi-monthly meetings. By helping adult cancer patients stay current with basic utilities and mortgage payments, this funding helps to reduce some of their stress and allows them to reserve more of their energy for self care and healing.

Cambridge Medical Center Foundation, Cambridge, MN

Project Title: Hope Fund

Grant Award: $41,000.00

This fund will be established to provide emergency financial assistance to qualifying breast cancer patients from the five-county area who are actively receiving care at Cambridge Medical Center (Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs and Pine counties). Financial assistance can be used for rent or mortgage payments, groceries, phone or utility payments, gas cards, car repairs, and similar needs. Applications will be reviewed by a five member panel which includes at least two breast cancer survivors, and decisions will be reported to the applicant within 48 hours. Whenever possible, payments will be made directly to creditors. All administrative costs will be covered by Cambridge Medical Center, so 100% of contributions will support breast cancer patients. While similar programs exist around the state, none of them serve patients who receive care in these five counties.

Cancer Legal Line, Bayport, MN

Project Title: Cancer Legal Line’s Breast Cancer Legal Project

Grant Award: $100,000.00

Cancer Legal Line’s Breast Cancer Legal Project provides free legal services to low-income breast cancer patients and survivors in Minnesota. Attorneys help clients with legal issues that are barriers to care and affect their ability to focus on treatment and wellness.  These legal issues include employment rights, access to public benefits, and preparing wills, powers of attorney and health care directives.  Cancer Legal Line partners with oncology providers throughout the Twin Cities as well as a variety of cancer support groups to reach out to patients, survivors, doctors, nurses and social workers.  Attorney volunteers in all areas of practice assist with outreach and take on pro bono matters to assist clients in need.  By receiving timely, free legal help, low-income clients are able to focus their energy on treatment and living life rather than an endless loop of “what-if” and worry, and report that their quality of life has improved. Cancer Legal Line is the only organization in Minnesota providing direct legal services specifically to low-income breast cancer patients and survivors.

Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio (CLUES), Minneapolis, MN

Project Title: Breast Cancer Prevention Program

Grant Award: $87,302.00

CLUES’ Breast Cancer Prevention Program provides culturally competent, linguistically appropriate education on breast health and breast cancer screenings and mammogram referrals to urban and rural, Minnesota Latina women. Latino community health workers implement the program activities, including: home visits to at-risk Latina women and information and education in community events, women’s groups, and high school and college student wellness programs. All activities provide education on the importance of breast cancer screening and breast health, including healthy living and nutrition, physical activity, health screenings, reducing alcohol consumption, prevention of tobacco use and exposure to second hand smoke, tobacco cessation, and mammogram referrals. This project will be evaluated by the number of Latina women provided breast health and mammogram education and referrals, client satisfaction surveys, and pre and post-tests on breast health and cancer prevention. Increasing the number of mammograms, we expect to reduce the mortality of breast cancer among Latina women and contribute to the elimination of significant health disparities experienced by Minnesota Latina women.

Lake Region Healthcare’s Cancer Care & Research Center, Fergus Falls, MN

Project Title: Fergus Falls Area Breast Cancer Support Group

Grant Award: $18,250.00

The purpose of this project is to better the lives of those facing breast cancer in the rural community of Fergus Falls and its surrounding areas by providing accessible, quality breast health education and emotional support. This is currently an unmet need in this area as the closest breast cancer support group is 60 miles away. This project involves several key activities, including facilitator training for two volunteer co-facilitators and advisory support for the facilitators provided by both an RN-level patient navigator and a PhD-level psychologist. In addition to providing much needed emotional support for rural breast cancer patients and survivors, the program will also include a strong educational component, with group members receiving breast cancer information and educational materials at each monthly group meeting. The project will be evaluated using several measures, including a brief pre- and post-test asking participants to rate their perceived degree of knowledge regarding breast health. The project is expected to significantly impact the lives of rural breast cancer patients and survivors in a positive way by addressing several specific unmet needs of this medically underserved population in rural Minnesota.

LakeWood Health Center, Baudette, MN

Project Title: LakeWood Breast Screening Program

Grant Award: $80,593.00

This program plans to increase participation in breast cancer screening by medically underserved women in Lake of the Woods and three contiguous counties. The program will conduct two screening/referral clinics per month. After a medical history and breast exam, women will immediately have a mammogram, negating the need to schedule and travel to a second appointment. Transportation services will be subsidized for geographically isolated women. Blended funding from SAGE and Komen provides screening for at least 125 women plus advanced diagnostic and initial treatment services as necessary. To ensure language is not a service or trust barrier, staff will participate in health literacy training in order to be adept in communicating with women of all economic and literacy backgrounds. A multi-faceted, media-based outreach/education campaign will be implemented targeting 2,500 women ages 40+. Program information and Komen educational materials also will be offered to approximately 1,000 patients during home nursing, public health, and primary care visits.

Lao Assistance Center of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

Project Title: Lao Breast Cancer Awareness Project

Grant Award: $50,000.00

For the first time in Minnesota, the Lao Assistance Center of Minnesota will create a program to address breast health in the Lao refugee community (Southeast Asians). We will provide breast cancer education, outreach, and screening to Lao women and men in the Twin Cities seven-county metro area.  Outreach strategies will focus on community radio, TV, newspaper, social media, and other mediums and they will recruit and screen women from both existing clients and community members touched by their media campaign and outreach efforts. The primary anticipated outcomes are: 1) 3,000 Lao women and men will gain increased awareness of breast cancer and its prevention as a result of an education and media campaign; and 2) 450 women and men will receive breast cancer screening as a result of education and individual encouragement and support.

Mahnomen Health Center, Mahnomen, MN

Project Title: Mahnomen County Faith Based Nurse for Breast Health

Grant Award: $100,000.00

In the spring of 2010, Mahnomen Health Center started a unique approach to the dire need for a navigator program, to address the staggering breast cancer mortality rate in Mahnomen County, located on the White Earth Indian Reservation. A model was conceptualized and initiated in order to reach out to those in the area that were seeking breast health only when the disease process of cancer had progressed. A Parish Nurse program, called the Mahnomen Area Faith Based Nursing Program was started and a Health Cabinet was formed. Two Faith Based RN’s worked with the members of the churches to help get the word of the county’s need for early cancer screening out to the various parts of the area. Their collaboration with Indian Health Services on successful events and education yielded a 17% increase in the mammography rate. The Health Cabinet is committed to its mission, and through this model, plans to assist in providing deeper connections, more education, and follow-through on projects just beginning.

New Americans Community Services (NACS), St. Paul, MN

Project Title: Somali Women Breast Cancer Education

Grant Award: $96,800.00

The purpose of this project is to increase knowledge about, access to, and utilization of breast screening in illiterate Somali women. To assist in reducing the fear and stigma of discussing breast cancer that is often found in this community, this project will try to empower Somali women to make efforts to educate themselves and their social networks through building a concept of “community health”. Activities will include eight community education sessions with 160 women. Six women leaders will each host a session in a community “safe space,” handle recruitment of women and arrange for childcare and transportation. NACS will assist in recruiting individuals at risk of breast cancer due to poor nutrition, sedentary lifestyles, family history of cancer, etc. Emphasis will be on younger women with children as they are more apt to changing their lifestyles and model behavior change in the community. NACS works in partnership with the University of Minnesota Program in Health Disparities Research.

North Memorial Foundation, Robbinsdale, MN

Project Title: Pay it Forward Fund

Grant Award: $100,000.00

Pay it Forward Fund helps women who are struggling financially while being treated for breast and women’s cancers (cervical, ovarian, uterine) at the cancer centers located at North Memorial, Unity, Mercy, New River and Ridgeview Medical Centers. The fund pays basic living expenses such as rent, mortgage, heat, electricity, water and qualifying medical bills so patients can focus on what is really important – getting healthy. Qualifying patients are eligible to receive up to $1,500 per year while they undergo treatment. The goal is to help as many patients as possible get through a temporary financial crisis. In the five years since its inception, Pay It Forward Fund has paid the bills of 430 patients who were struggling financially while undergoing cancer treatment – helping 168 patients in 2010 alone. Success is measured according to the number of patients they are able to assist. The current goal is to meet the need of patients at the cancer center locations they serve today as well as continuing to expand to other hospitals and their patients. In 2011, Ridgeview Medical Center in Waconia, MN was added to their list of eligible locations.

NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center, Inc., Minneapolis, MN

Project Title: Breast Cancer Outreach/Support to Women of Color in North Minneapolis

Grant Award: $100,000.00

The Breast Cancer Outreach project of NorthPoint aims to reduce the health disparities in breast cancer incidence and death among women of color in North Minneapolis by providing culturally specific outreach, education and access to screening services. Activities will include hosting 4 culturally specific “See, Test and Treat” events; providing breast health education presentations at various community locations including houses of worship, community centers and health fairs;  and using Community Health Worker’s to provide specific educational sessions as a means to impact the health behaviors and practices of the targeted populations. This year, NorthPoint will expand its care coordination activities for women with abnormal breast findings, including providing on-going support to women experiencing positive diagnoses of breast cancer. Evaluation will include tracking numbers of participants at education and outreach events, number of individuals seen by CHW’s, number of appointments made and number of women receiving mammograms. True success for the project would be the elimination of health disparities in breast cancer incidence and death among women of color in North Minneapolis; however, a more immediate impact of the program will be an increase in the number of mammography screenings completed at the clinic.

Open Arms of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

Project Title: Expansion of Open Arms’ Breast Cancer Program

Grant Award: $85,802.00

Open Arms of Minnesota is the only nonprofit organization in the state that prepares and delivers free meals designed to meet the nutritional needs of individuals living with disease, including breast cancer. Open Arms’ developed a specific menu for breast cancer clients, introduced Nausea Care Packs to alleviate nausea, and a frozen meal delivery system that eliminated food smells that can trigger nausea from entering clients’ homes. Success of the program is evaluated with an annual qualitative and quantitative survey to their clients. In 2010, Open Arms served 42,643 meals to 204 people with breast cancer, their caregivers and dependents. In 2011, their sixth year serving clients with breast cancer, Open Arms will provide 58,320 organic meals to 270 clients with breast cancer, their dependent children and affected caregivers. They plan to continue to expand outreach activities to additional health care professionals to cultivate new referrals, in addition to maintaining current referral partnerships to ensure that no one facing breast cancer in the Twin Cities will have to go hungry.

Regions Hospital Foundation, St. Paul, MN

Project Title: Hope Chest for Breast Cancer Special Needs Fund

Grant Award: $5,000.00

This fund helps breast cancer patients at Regions Hospital pay for rent, food, utilities and other basic needs when treatment has made it impossible for patients to pay for such expenses themselves. As the safety-net hospital in the east metro, Regions sees some of the most financially vulnerable populations in the area. By providing temporary financial support to the poorest of the poor receiving breast cancer treatment, emotional and financial stress caused by their illness and treatment is reduced, helping patients to retain their dignity and quality of life. Eligible breast cancer patients will receive assistance of up to $2,000 per individual. Care providers and social workers will follow up with assisted patients to evaluate the direct results of the gifts.

Riverwood Foundation, Aitkin and Crosby, MN

Project Title: Cuyuna Riverwood Breast Health Alliance

Grant Award: $100,000.00

Funding to the Cuyuna Riverwood Breast Health Alliance supports education, screening and treatment for women in rural Aitkin, Cass, Crow Wing and Mille Lacs Counties. The Breast Health Alliance (BHA) is an innovative partnership between neighboring healthcare institutions, Cuyuna Regional Medical Center in Crosby and Riverwood Healthcare Center in Aitkin. The Alliance has teamed up with the Minneapolis-based Virginia Piper Cancer Institute to offer expert care for screening/diagnosis and expanded treatment options for breast cancer patients locally. This grant supports breast health education and awareness, staff education, and one-on-one support for breast cancer patients. It will also support the establishment of a Hope Cupboard to provide free mammograms to eligible patients and tangible support for women undergoing treatment including financial assistance, wigs and beauty consultation, wellness care packages, gas cards and specialized clothing. This all-encompassing approach to breast health is changing the way women’s health needs are addressed in north-central Minnesota.

St. Joseph’s Foundation, Brainerd, MN

Project Title: Pink Ribbon Cupboard

Grant Award: $25,000.00

The Pink Ribbon Cupboard provides emergency financial assistance for women undergoing breast cancer treatment in the hopes of eliminating or reducing some of the stress from financial burdens encountered by families as a result of a breast cancer diagnosis. Financial assistance is provided for non-medical needs, such as gas vouchers for travel expenses; mortgage/rent payments; groceries; telephone bills; utility bills; etc. Pink Ribbon Cupboard primarily serves Aitkin, Crow Wing, and Cass Counties, but also other counties as funds allow. These counties are characterized by lower than median income levels, high unemployment, and high levels of poverty. A three person Board will review the needs, as identified by medical personnel, and determine the amount of assistance to be provided to each applicant. This program hopes to make an impact by assisting 50 to 75 women and their families.

Southside Community Health Services, Inc., Minneapolis, MN

Project Title: Southside’s Women of Color and Others Breast Cancer/Breast Health Awareness, Education and Screening Program

Grant Award: $64,220.00

This program will reach medically underserved women, especially women of color and without regard to sexual orientation, in South Minneapolis’s nine poorest neighborhoods (Lyndale, Corcoran, Standish, Bryant, Central, Powderhorn, Whittier, Bankcroft, and Phillips, as well as, North Minneapolis) with the purpose of raising awareness of breast health and breast cancer. 3,800 women, as they’re seen during clinic visits, will receive information/education on breast health/breast cancer awareness and will be instructed on the proper techniques of breast self-examination. Mammography screening will be provided for those unable to pay. Evaluation methods include case file documentation of clinic visits, educational content, screenings and outreach activities. The intended outcome is to detect breast cancer at an early stage and, through education and awareness, encourage proactive lifestyle changes that empower women to make healthy choices and become their own health advocates.

Vietnamese Social Services of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN

Project Title: Southeast Asian Breast Cancer Outreach Project

Grant Award: $76,047.00

Asian American women have the fastest growing breast cancer rate among ethnic groups in the United States but due to linguistic, cultural and economic barriers, screening rates are low.  Working in partnership with several other health and training organizations, the Asian Breast Cancer Outreach Project provides education and access services to increase screening and reduce poor breast cancer outcomes among Vietnamese, Chinese and Karen women and men in the Twin Cities and St. Cloud. Funding will assist Vietnamese Social Services of Minnesota to sustain and build on their past and current work. Primary objectives for 2011 are: 4,000 women and men in the target populations will become more aware of breast cancer prevention and screening through health classes, individual consultation, and media messages; 600 women and men will receive breast cancer screening; 10 breast cancer survivors will participate in regular survivor support groups; and 6 breast cancer survivors will train in, and provide, resource navigation support for survivors with particularly acute cultural and linguistic barriers. The project impact is measured through client surveys and analysis of activities and outcomes by project staff and the advisory council.

West Side Community Health Services, St. Paul, MN

Project Title:Breast Health Services for Medically Underserved Women in St. Paul

Grant Award: $75,919.00

Funding for this project will address the need for breast health education and screening services among medically underserved, hard-to-reach women in St. Paul. The overarching goals of this Breast Health Program are to enhance breast health and increase the number of age-appropriate women who are screened for breast cancer by continuing and strengthening West Side’s successful prevention, outreach, education, and screening activities and providing patients with high-quality, culturally/linguistically competent health care services, particularly within the Latino, Hmong, African-American, African-immigrant, and Southeast Asian refugee communities served by West Side's McDonough Homes Clinic, East Side Family Clinic, and Health Care for the Homeless sites. An estimated 1,200 women are expected to be served through this program with breast health education, screening assistance, and essential support services through these clinic sites. West Side will also pilot an innovative Peer Education (or Promotores) program under the grant. Evaluation will include surveys and clinical measures tracked through West Side's new Electronic Health Record system.

YWCA of Duluth, Duluth, MN

Project Title: Breast Cancer Advocacy Program

Grant Award: $30,000.00

The YWCA of Duluth Breast Cancer Advocacy Program provides community outreach and advocacy to bring breast health services to medically underserved women, including women of color, lesbian and bi-sexual identified women, and women without income and/or insurance. The program conducts community outreach to support regular mammography, clinical breast exams, monthly self breast examination, and yearly reminders. The program works to strengthen partnerships with local medical providers and organizations that already provide services to underserved women to reduce barriers that keep women from getting breast cancer screenings. Periodic “Barrier Busting” events and/or meetings are held in collaboration with the Fond Du Lac Reservation (FDL) and leaders from communities of color and lesbian/bi-sexual identified organizations to address barriers in accessing regular breast health care with local providers. Women share their stories and/or experiences’ regarding what keeps them from accessing services to expand provider knowledge. Advocacy and patient navigation is also provided to women in accessing breast health care, follow up services, cultural barriers and transportation issues. Other services and support are provided to women diagnosed with abnormal results or breast cancer diagnoses. Evaluation is measured by outpatient tracking and feedback from program participants. The impact is that underserved women are reached with breast health services.

Minnesota Department of Health, Sage Screening Program

Project Title: Sage Screening Program Breast Cancer Screening Project

Grant Award: $499,690.00

Funds for this program will be utilized to pay for breast cancer screening and diagnostic services for more than 9,000 women living throughout the state of Minnesota. Specifically, Komen funds will pay for more than 3,300 mammograms, 6,000 Computer-Aided Detection (CAD) readings, 100 breast biopsies, and 300 ultrasounds. This program provides free breast cancer screening to eligible women through a network of over 420 clinics statewide. Women are eligible for Sage-paid services if they are 40 years and older, have an income that is equal to or below 250 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, and lack adequate insurance to cover breast cancer screening. Women younger than 40 years who are experiencing breast health problems (e.g., breast pain) may be eligible for Sage-paid services if a breast abnormality is found and/or if they have a family history of breast cancer.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure, National Headquarters: Annual payment for funding of breast cancer research only: $420,961.53

TOTAL AWARDED $2,350,664.53