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Avon Foundation Breast Care Fund Awards Grant for Breast Cancer Awareness Program to ACCESS Health & Research Center

Posted on: Wednesday, 16 February 2005, 12:00 CST

DETROIT, Feb. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- The Avon Foundation Breast Care Fund has awarded a $55,000 one-year grant to ACCESS Community Health & Research Center to increase awareness of the life-saving benefits of early detection of breast cancer. This is the ninth year that the program has received Avon Foundation funding to support its work on this important health issue, and in recognition of the excellence of the program. This grant is especially meaningful as it comes during the 50th anniversary year of the Avon Foundation.

The Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program (BCCCP) at ACCESS Community Health & Research Center will educate women over 40 years of age, who reside in Metropolitan Detroit-area and refer them to low-cost or free mammograms and clinical breast exams in their own communities. The vital program will also:

* Break down the educational, logistical and financial barriers that prevent many women from obtaining breast/cervical cancer early detection services;

* Raise community awareness about breast/cervical cancer;

* Stress that every woman needs to follow an early detection screening program through outreach advocacy; and

* Focus on the special needs of Arab American women.

Since January 1997, the BCCCP at ACCESS has reached more than 9,000 women with information about the importance of early detection of breast cancer and has referred almost 7,000 women for mammograms and clinical breast exams.

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women in the U.S., and the leading single cause of death overall in women between the ages of 40 and 55. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS) 7,210 new cases of breast cancer will be detected in Michigan this year and 1,380 lives will be lost. Nationwide, there is a new diagnosis every three minutes and a death from breast cancer every fourteen minutes. While advances have been made in prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure, early detection still affords the best opportunity for successful treatment. Programs such as the Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program help ensure that all women have access to early detection information and options, even poor and medically underserved women.

"Many barriers, such as cultural inhibitions towards cancer disease, fear, transportation and language or lack of a doctor's recommendation, prevent women from practicing good breast health," says Dr. Adnan Hammad, Director of ACCESS Community Health & Research Center. "There is a tremendous need to reach women with information and resources," adds Hammad. "We are grateful that Avon shares this mission and has chosen to support our program."

The Avon Foundation has funded more than 800 community-based breast health programs across the United States since 1993, including BCCCP at the ACCESS Community Health & Research Center. These programs are dedicated to educating underserved women about breast cancer and linking them with early detection screening services.

The Avon Foundation Breast Cancer Crusade

The Avon Foundation, an accredited 501(c)(3) public charity, was founded in 1955 with a mission to improve the lives of women, and in 2005 celebrates half a century of helping women and their families. The mission is focused on programs that support women's empowerment, including the issue of domestic violence, and breast cancer, focused on access to care and finding a cure for breast cancer.

First launched in the U.K. in 1992, the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade, now supports programs to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer in 50 countries around the globe. As of November 2004, the Avon Crusade has raised and returned more than $350,000,000 net to breast cancer research and care organizations worldwide. The wide range of Avon Breast Cancer Crusade fundraising programs include the sale of special Crusade "pink ribbon" products by Avon independent Sales Representatives; concerts, races and other special events around the world; the Kiss Goodbye to Breast Cancer global campaign; direct donations; and the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer series of weekend fundraising events in the U.S.

The Avon Foundation Breast Care Fund

The Avon Foundation Breast Care Fund is administered by Cicatelli Associates Inc. to support community-based, non-profit breast health programs across the country. The Fund's National Advisory Board selected BCCCP at the ACCESS Community Health & Research Center as one of 123 new grant recipients nationwide in the 2005 cycle of Avon Foundation Breast Care Fund grants. These organizations were chosen based on their ability to effectively reach women, particularly minority, low-income, and older women, who are often medically underserved.

For more Information

For more information on BCCCP at the ACCESS Community Health & Research Center, please call Hiam Hamade, RN at 313 216-2206. For more information about breast cancer, contact the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345 or http://www.cancer.org/ , or the National Cancer Institute at 1-800-4-CANCER or http://www.cancer.gov/ .

To learn more about the Avon Foundation, call 1-866-505-AVON or visit http://www.avonfoundation.org/ , where you can also access the free printable Breast Health Resource Guide in English and Spanish. For information or to register or support the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer events, visit http://www.avonwalk.org/ or call 1-877-WALK-AVON.

ACCESS is a human services organization committed to the development of the Arab American community in all aspects of economic and cultural life. ACCESS helps low-income families, as well as newly arrived immigrants adapt to life in America. Its goal is to foster a greater understanding of Arab Culture in the U.S. and in the Arab world. ACCESS provides a wide range of social, mental health, educational, artistic, employment, legal, and medical services, and is dedicated to empowering people to lead more informed, productive, and fulfilling lives.

ACCESS

CONTACT: Hannan Deep of ACCESS, +1-313-842-7010,hdeep@accesscommunity.org ; or Susan Arnot Heaney of Avon Foundation,+1-212-282-5664; or Program Coordinator: Hiam Hamade of ACCESS,+1-313-216-2206

Web site: http://www.cancer.org/http://www.cancer.gov/http://www.avonfoundation.org/http://www.avonwalk.org/

Source: PRNewswire

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