The San Diego Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Funds Community Outreach Programs
SAN DIEGO, Aug. 29 /PRNewswire/ — The San Diego Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation recently provided community grants totaling more than $700,000 to support medically underinsured San Diegans with breast health education and breast cancer diagnostic and treatment programs. Collectively, Komen Affiliates across the United States raised $47.3 million for community-based breast health and breast cancer education, screening and treatment projects.
“We grant funds to organizations offering results-oriented breast health and breast cancer outreach in San Diego,” said Katie Parker, Community Outreach Director for Komen San Diego. “Every year, we survey community needs throughout San Diego County and focus on filling the financial gaps for people of all ages and economic backgrounds, placing a special emphasis on population groups who are traditionally medically underserved or may be overlooked.”
The Komen San Diego Affiliate’s local fundraising efforts, such as the Komen San Diego Race for the Cure(R), which will take place Nov. 5, 2006, in Balboa Park, have enabled the organization to fund a number of deserving groups in the San Diego community including Breast Cancer Survivors, Family Health Centers of San Diego and Indian Health Council. Breast Cancer Survivors provides breast cancer patients with financial assistance to cover their essential living expenses, such as rent and/or utilities, when they are unable to work due to breast cancer treatment. Family Health Centers of San Diego utilizes a bilingual, bicultural case manager to enhance a woman’s breast cancer treatment and follow-up adherence by increasing healthcare knowledge and access, addressing any personal or cultural barriers, and increasing her coping skills to meet her health challenges. Indian Health Council increases awareness of low cost or free mammogram screening services, and distributes culturally appropriate breast health and breast cancer educational materials to American Indian or Alaska Native women.
Following is a complete list of Komen San Diego grantees: * Asian Pacifica Health Center * Breast Cancer Survivors * Council of Community Clinics * Disability Rights Legal Center * Family Health Centers of San Diego * Greater San Diego Health Education Inc. * Indian Health Council, Inc. * Jewish Family Service-San Diego * Moores UCSD Cancer Center * Palomar Pomerado Health Foundation * San Diego Hospice & Palliative Care * San Ysidro Health Center * Scripps Cancer Center * Scripps Mercy Hospital Chula Vista * Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center * Sharp Metropolitan Medical Campus * Virginia Ann Scheunemann Memorial Fund * Vista Community Clinic
Up to 75 percent of funds raised by each Komen Affiliate remain in the community to fund local breast health education and breast cancer screening and treatment programs, while the remaining 25 percent of net funds support the National Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Award and Research Grant Program. This funds groundbreaking breast cancer research, meritorious awards and educational and scientific programs around the world.
About the San Diego Affiliate of the Komen Foundation
The San Diego Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation was founded in 1995 by a group of volunteers committed to saving and improving lives of people affected by breast cancer. The affiliate is a fund raising organization that provides grants to organizations and medical clinics in our community that serve individuals in San Diego County, addressing all ages and economic backgrounds, while placing special emphasis on the medically under served. Since its inception, more than $4 million has been provided to local organizations.
About the Komen Foundation
The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation was established in 1982 by Nancy Brinker to honor the memory of her sister, Susan G. Komen, who died from breast cancer at the age of 36. Today, the Foundation is an international organization with a network of more than 100,000 volunteers working through local Affiliates and events like the Komen Race for the Cure(R) to eradicate breast cancer as a life-threatening disease. Through fiscal year 2005, the Komen Foundation, together with its Affiliate Network, corporate partners and generous donors, has invested more than $630 million in breast cancer research, education, screening and treatment programs.
For more information about breast health or breast cancer, visit the Komen Foundation’s Web site, http://www.komen.org/, or call its National Toll-Free Breast Care Helpline, 1.800 I’M AWARE(R) (1.800.462.9273).
The San Diego Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
CONTACT: Laura Farmer of Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation,+1-858-573-2760, Laura@SDKomen.com
Web site: http://www.komen.org/