The Board and Staff of Florida Breast Cancer Foundation (FBCF) give their warmest congratulations to FBCF grantee, Pamela Burnett of The Beautiful Gate, Miami and Trivel C. McKire, Regional Care Coordinator at the the Florida Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (FBCCEDP) in Broward County. Pamela's MASS Program (Mammograms After Sunday Service), in partnership with the Broward Cares Program administered by the Broward FBCCEDP, has been selected as a Promising Practice by the National Association of County and City Health Officials' (NACCHO) Model Practice Program.
The Board and Staff here at FBCF are incredibly proud to fund such an important community outreach program. We give our sincerest thanks to National Marine Suppliers of Fort Lauderdale for their generous contributions and making this project possible in Broward County.
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), whose mission is to improve the health of communities by strengthening and advocating for local health departments, works to recognize the best local public health practices in the country. NACCHO's Model Practices Program nationally honors and recognizes outstanding local public health practice, making this an exceptional acknowledgement for both the MASS and Broward Cares Programs.
The selection of the MASS program, along with the Broward Cares Program, as a Promising Practice, means that it "demonstrates exemplary and replicable qualities in response to a local public health need. The program reflects a strong local health department role, collaboration, and innovation."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, African American and white women have similar incidence rates of breast cancer, but mortality rates in African American women, historically, have been higher. The statewide MASS Program works to eliminate the racial disparity among African American women by empowering them to take charge of their breast health through increased knowledge and awareness of breast cancer, and by communicating the importance of getting mammograms. The MASS Program provides educational seminars and onsite mammograms or referrals through local health departments at predominantly African American churches.
By partnering with local health departments, the MASS Program also helps provide uninsured women access to mammograms by removing barriers due to cost, literacy, cultural, or transportation challenges, which can often prevent this population of women from receiving vital screenings and services (MASS Program).
We applaud Pamela, Trivel and their teams for their passion, hard work, and dedication to helping save lives through education and early detection.