The Beautiful Gate Cancer Support & Resource Center: "Mammograms After Sunday Service (MASS)"
Mammograms After Sunday Service (MASS) is a continuing breast health education project by The Beautiful Gate Cancer Support & Resource Center (TBG). The MASS project provides breast health educational seminars with onsite mobile mammograms and/or referrals at predominantly African American Places of Worship seen as a safe haven in high risk communities after religious/spiritual services. MASS focus is on the increasing knowledge and awareness of breast health and communicating the importance of obtaining mammograms to prevent late stage diagnosis in African American women.
Big Bend Rural Health Network: "We Are One"
Breast cancer is the most common cancer to affect women, other than skin cancer, regardless of reach and ethnicity within the United States (CDC, 2017). Out of 100,000 women, nearly 126 new cases will arise and 21 women will die from this disease per year. Black women make up the highest demographic to die per 100,000 from breast cancer (SEER, 2015). Our program, "We Are One", aims to reduce this health disparity through educational workshops and interactive classes in Jefferson and Madison County.
Big Bend Rural Health Network. (BBRHN) proposes providing a one-year project to educate vulnerable populations about information related towards breast health. Empowering participants to take preventive steps in reducing the effects of breast cancer, "We are One" influences the behaviors that shape the view of breast cancer. Learning about proactive measures to use before diagnosis, identifying risk factors for breast cancer and understanding the importance of early detection, we hope to leave individuals with the necessary tools to deal with breast health and breast cancer. Through the power of education and interaction, a foundation can be created to stand upon in being proactive about breast health and breast cancer.
Charlene's Dream, Inc.: "Charlene's Dream- A Community Based Cancer Support Center Reaches Out"
Charlene's Dream is a warm and welcoming grassroots community based resource center for women with cancer. It is run by cancer nurses and professionals who volunteer their time. Cancer care in Volusia and Flagler counties is being administered in multiple doctor's offices, clinics and hospitals. In our monthly support group sessions, we have noticed a "lack of uniformity" and "gaps" in the information and education received by some of the women with breast cancer. We try to supplement that and support those affected by cancer to health them cope with their disease more effectively. We also provide tangible items such as donated wigs, mastectomy bras, breast prostheses, and lymphedema sleeves to assist women with breast cancer who can't afford it otherwise.
Charlene's Dream will be able to help more women with the support of the FBCF through this very generous grant. This will enable us to expand our network and to take our "Breast Cancer 101" education classes "on the road" to different doctor's offices to be able to reach more women who need our help. One of our nurse navigators will also start an additional support group in New Smyrna Beach to assist patients there.
Family Health Centers of Southwest Florida, Inc: "Women SHINE Project"
Family Health Centers of South Florida, Inc. ("FHC") will be continuing and expanding the Women SHINE Project (Sharing Hope, breast health Information, and the Newest guidelines leaving women Empowered to know their own bodies). This Project provides educational opportunities that allow women to become proactive advocates for their own breast health. This Project targets and benefits the uninsured and underserved women in Lee, Charlotte, and western Hendry Counties through critical one-on-one and group education workshops. With transportation being a major barrier to care for these uninsured and underserved women, the SHINE team provided and will continue to provide education on-site by:
- Visiting migrant outreach health fair events at local farmworker housing/camps while migrant farmworkers seek free medical care.
- Visiting local food pantries throughout three-county area (Lee, Charlotte, and western Hendry) as mothers in need seek out food necessities.
- Setting up a breast health booth at many of the FHC medical sites and providing one-on-one education as women wait to be seen by their doctor as a walk in/sick visits.
To eliminate language barriers and to better reach the population in need, the culturally- sensitive, tri-lingual SHINE Project care team speaks fluent Spanish, English, and Creole.
Health Education, Prevention & Promotion, Inc. (HEPP): "Faith based Breast Cancer Outreach- Educating and Empowering Haitian Women to take change of their Breast Health"
Health Education Prevention & Promotion, Inc. (HEPP) provides linguistically and culturally appropriate health education in Creole directed at improving health literacy. A focus area is breast cancer due to evidence of late stage diagnosis of cancer and lack of culturally appropriate information on cancer among Haitian population. Continuation of HEPP's faith-based comprehensive breast cancer awareness and education program seeks to improve beliefs, knowledge, attitudes, screening and treatment behaviors among medically underserved, linguistically isolated Haitian women with low literacy living in Miami and Homestead. The program will also continue to empower Haitian women to take charge of their breast health. The program is a 3-part series conducted at Haitian churches located in Miami, North Miami and Homestead. Classes are interactive, in Creole and taught be well qualified Haitian health educators. Topics include breast self-awareness; understanding breast cancer and the risk factors, breast cancer treatments; talking to your health care professional about individual risks and screening options and reducing risk by changing modifiable risk factors.
Marie Louise Cancer Foundation Inc.: "Screening Saves Lives"
It is estimated that more than 60,000 Haitian Americans and Haitian immigrants live in Palm Beach County. Haitian immigrants and refugees are one of the most at-risk groups of ethnic minorities living in the United States today; as most of them are from rural areas and are uneducated or under educated the importance of seeing a physician for preventative care is a foreign concept. According to the CDC, African Americans are more likely to die from cancers than any other group. Many experts link this higher death rate to lack of information about cancer screening and prevention, which results in diagnosis and treatment when their disease is at a more advanced stage. In addition; because of their cultural beliefs they are more likely to believe they have been cursed when symptoms appear and remain untreated until the disease has progressed to the point where treatment is more invasive. Our goal is to promote the importance of early detection and prevention methods and provide cancer education to Haitian Immigrants and Haitian Americans in need of cancer screenings and treatments in order to reduce morbidity and mortality resulting from late detection of breast cancer.
Miami Dade Area Health Education Center, Inc.: "Hands on Health: Youth Breast Cancer Education Program"
Miami-Dade Area Health Education Center (AHEC), Inc. is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization whose mission is to improve access to quality, comprehensive health care and education for the underserved, uninsured, economically needy, and other vulnerable individuals throughout Miami-Dade County through academic- community partnerships. MDAHEC provides "Hands on Health" Breast Cancer Education Program to middle school, high school, and college students. This program provides a thorough yet easily understood explanation of breast cancer. It is comprised of different facts, videos, statistics, visuals, and activities that are geared to teenage men and women in Miami-Dade and Broward County schools and youth serving sites, and colleges and universities. This program's objectives are to educate these young men and women about breast cancer and the need for early diagnosis and to encourage them to develop a life-long habit of breast health self-awareness.
Moffitt Cancer Center: "Savor (Survivors are Victorious Overcoming obstacles to be Resilient)"
There are four components of Survivorship Care: prevention, surveillance, interventions and coordination between oncology and primary care/specialists. As part of the initial visit in Moffitt's Survivorship Program, we provide a comprehensive and personalized care plan to our patients with a focus on wellness. We understand the transition from active treatment phase into the extended or permanent phase of survivorship can be fraught with many unexpected physical, emotional, psychological and social challenges. Our patients do not have to face this transition alone. We are constantly thinking of innovative ways to provide support and guidance to our patients on a path to wellness earlier in their cancer journey. As part of that process, we are partnering with the Breast Program to introduce the principles of wellness within 6 months of completion of therapy. This is a critical period where survivors are uniquely positioned to adapt health and resilient behaviors into their lives not only for them by their children, significant others, and their communities. We want to help women be empowered through knowledge from interactive classes focused on nutrition, exercise and stress management in an 8 week in person training period supplemented with online modules to have the best chance to success.
SISTAAH Talk, Inc: "Lil SISTAAH Talk"
Breast health education may lead to breast cancer prevention, earlier detection and treatment; and hence, reduced incidence and mortality. Promotion of breast healthy behaviors (such as BSE as a self-test) with emphasis on modifiable health behavior changes (such as alcohol consumption) is one possible approach. To that end, we developed an interactive workshop for pre-mammogram eligible adult women entitled, Lil' SISTAAH Talk (LST). The purpose of LST is to enhance knowledge, build skills, and promote BSE; correct misperceptions; and allay fears related to breast cancer. Composed of four parts (breast healthy behaviors, early detection, role playing, and cancer prevention), the goal is to help young women establish breast healthy behaviors. Fifteen college and university campuses are targeted to partner with SISTAAH Talk, Inc., a breast cancer support group for women of color, to provide breast health education for their students. To address racial/ethnic breast cancer disparities, female college-age relatives of Black breast cancer survivors will participate in community LST workshops. With oversight from a master of public health-level certified health education specialist, 9 trained breast cancer survivors will deliver 40 LST workshops to 800 women 18-39 years of age in Broward and Dade counties. By the end of the Lil' SISTAAH Talk workshops, college-age women will be able to: 1) complete a self-assessment of breast health knowledge; 2) recognize abnormal and identify changes in breasts; 3) identify breast healthy behavior concepts; 4) list lifestyle behaviors for breast cancer risk reduction and prevention; and 5) advocate for individual/personal healthy breast health.
Sistema Universitario Ana G. Mendez: "Entre Nosotras (Between Us): Breast Health Education and Cancer Prevention Programs"
As a Hispanic Serving Institution, Sistema Ana G. Méndez University System (SUAGM) serves the higher education needs of nontraditional students through dual language (English-Spanish) degree programs and thus, is uniquely positioned to reach Spanish-dominant Hispanic adult women in underserved communities with vital breast health information. Entre Nosotras (Between Us) is a multi-county Breast Health Education and Cancer Prevention Program extending across SUAGM Florida locations: South Florida Campus (Miami-Dade County); Metro Orlando Campus (Orange County), and Tampa Bay Campus (Hillsborough County). The faculty-led Entre Nosotras campaign will use available Spanish language materials from leading organizations. Phase I spans an in-depth review of breast health and breast cancer topics for students in health programs and subsequently, leverages linguistic and cultural affinity in hosting a 2-part breast health/cancer education series at each campus for students, families, and community members under the conversational cafecito (coffee time) health education model. Additionally, and to extend the impact of the campaign, nursing and community health students may be engaged through assignments and volunteer projects to support: a) breast health education outreach with community partners; b) the Entre Nosotras breast health education campus encounters, and c) additional community cafecitos at faith-based locations, schools, social centers, and community partner events in their underserved communities.
Watson Clinic Foundation Inc.: "Lakeland's PinkSync"
The Watson Clinic Foundation introduces: "Lakeland's PinkSync", which aims to provide breast cancer awareness, education, and prevention to college aged young men and women via the creation of 4 retreats at each of the local colleges in Lakeland. The goals are to a) provide resources to young adults about early breast cancer detection b) highlight the importance of adopting health habits early for breast cancer prevention c) cultivate a nurturing environment for young adults suffering with breast cancer and d) foster a conversation and create a social network for college-aged students who have been impacted by a breast cancer diagnosis. Each retreat will feature speakers, videos, and interactive workshops, and will focus on breast health education, cancer prevention, social service support, financial aid resources, and survivorship. We intend to create a safe and fun space for students to discuss their concerns about breast cancer and to provide them with access to the resources available within the community.
Women's Center of Jacksonville, Inc.: "Bosom Buddies"
The Bosom Buddies program will provide breast health information to women in Duval, Baker, and Nassau Counties in Northeast Florida. The program provides undiagnosed, access to information, consultation, and education regarding detection, lifestyle, and treatment options. Support for these women comes in the form of education workshops, one-on-one meetings with the Bosom Buddies project coordinator and consultation with a breast cancer specialist physician.