Program addresses needs of medically under-served women in Cities Across the Country
Breast Cancer Network of Strength® is proud to announce it is has expanding “A Day for You™” — a program that assists medically underserved Asian, Latina, Polish and African American women in the United States.
The expense associated with health care access has increased exponentially, and data compiled from ongoing federal surveys of individuals and employers indicates that nationally, the cost of health insurance coverage is growing eight times as fast as income is. This is made worse by an economic slump that evolved into the worst recession in decades.
However, while health care resources are shrinking, A Day for You is expanding to meet the growing challenge of providing education and screening for women in vulnerable communities.
Through a generous grant from the National Philanthropic Trust (NPT), Breast Cancer Network of Strength has established 13 new programs across the country in 2009 alone.
“Our organization’s mission to ensure, through information, empowerment and peer support, that no one faces breast cancer alone,” says Breast Cancer Network of Strength President and CEO Margaret C. Kirk. “That includes those who may not be insured or have other barriers to breast cancer screening.”
The goals of the A Day for You program are to:
- raise awareness about earlier detection;
- facilitate access to information, clinical breast examinations and screening mammograms; and
- help underserved communities overcome barriers such as language, lack of knowledge, lack of transportation, and lack of medical insurance that keep women from seeking services.
Participants are educated about earlier detection methods for breast cancer, taught breast self-examination (BSE), given a clinical breast examination (CBE) by qualified health care
professionals, and, if appropriate, given on-site mammograms. The program also assists women who have abnormal screening results in obtaining proper follow-up care.
Breast Cancer Network of Strength collaborates with community organizations, social service agencies, mammography centers, mammography mobile units, hospitals, health care centers and providers, volunteers, and breast cancer survivors to provide A Day for You.
Volunteers are vital to the success of A Day for You. They help with everything from filling out paperwork to accompanying women to medical appointments.
For more information about A Day for You, visit networkofstrength.org/programs/ad4u.php.
About Breast Cancer Network of Strength
Breast Cancer Network of Strength® (formerly known as Y-ME) is the oldest national breast cancer organization and ensures, through information, empowerment and peer support, that no one faces breast cancer alone.
Network of Strength provides immediate emotional relief to anyone affected by breast cancer through the YourShoes™ 24/7 Breast Cancer Support Center.
YourShoes is the country’s only 24-hour toll-free breast cancer hotline staffed exclusively by breast cancer survivors who are trained peer counselors. The YourShoes Support Center provides real-time interpretation in 150 languages.
Each year on Mother’s Day, the organization holds Walk to Empower events across the country, not to raise funds for research, but to provide breast cancer support today. Other services include a free wig and prosthesis bank for women with limited resources.
Network of Strength Advocacy™ works to increase breast cancer research funding, support breast cancer related clinical studies and ensure quality health care for all.
Networkofstrength.org has more than 1,200 pages of easy to understand breast cancer content in seven languages. Network of Strength also provides informational brochures in up to nine languages.
For more information about Breast Cancer Network of Strength, visit networkofstrength.org. Peer counselors can be e-mailed or contacted at 1-800-221-2141.
One Response to "Breast Cancer Network of Strength Expands Its “A Day for You” Program to Care for Medically Underserved Women"