Komen Grant will Help More Women Receive Mammograms
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Leni Kirkman or Julie Wiley
(210) 358-2335 or (Pager) 203-3300
University Health System Breast Program receives $227 thousand
A grant of just over a quarter million dollars from the San Antonio affiliate of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure to University Health System will help more women in Bexar County receive breast cancer screening and education.
University Health System has long been a community advocate in the fight against breast cancer, and its Health for Women team continues to be committed to find resources to advance research and outreach programs. “This funding from Susan G. Komen for the Cure will go a long way toward helping us reach more women,” said Theresa De La Haya, senior vice president of Community Health & Clinical Prevention Programs. “It is so important for women to be screened regularly, since early diagnosis is key to achieving the best outcome possible.”
The grant will fund mammograms, diagnostic exams, transportation services and navigation services for women with limited financial resources. Despite recent controversy related to routine breast screening, mammography remains the most effective screening tool and the best way for women to lower their risk of dying from the disease. Women with cost as a barrier are less likely to receive the necessary early detection tests and are less likely to receive follow-up care in a timely manner. According to the American Cancer Society, women without adequate health insurance or financial resources are far more likely to be diagnosed with advanced stage cancer than those with private insurance. The focus of the grant is to increase the number of women who participate in early detection services.
University Health System is also a participant provider in the Texas Breast and Cervical Cancer Services (BCCS). BCCS enables women with low income to have access to high quality screening and diagnostic services for breast and cervical cancer.
According to the Texas Cancer Data Center, 885 women in Bexar County will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year and 198 will die from the disease.
For more information on the program or to inquire about eligibility, please call 210-358-TALK.
