Program to help more women detect breast cancer sooner was made possible by public donations during Komen controversy earlier this year
New York, N.Y.–(ENEWSPF)–August 20, 2012. Planned Parenthood, the nation’s leading women’s health care provider and advocate, announced today that it is expanding its breast health education, outreach, and services across the country. The expansion is made possible by an outpouring of donations from the public after Susan G. Komen for the Cure stopped providing grants to Planned Parenthood because of intense pressure from political groups and then quickly reversed course earlier this year.
The expanded program Planned Parenthood announced today will give more women access to lifesaving cancer screenings, diagnostic services, and educational resources to help them identify potential breast health issues early, and make the best decisions about their health care.
“Early detection is critical in identifying breast cancer at its most treatable stages and saving women’s lives,” said Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. “Ninety-four percent of our patients are under the age of 40, and for these women, clinical breast exams are key to recognizing potential problems early. This expanded program will help us provide more patients with these vital screenings, and also ensure that more patients in need can get specialized follow up care, like ultrasounds or biopsies.”
When Komen announced that it would stop funding Planned Parenthood’s work to provide breast cancer screening to low-income women nationwide, more than 77,000 people donated over $3 million in less than four days. Those donations will fund the program that Planned Parenthood launched today.
“We were overwhelmed with support from people all across the country who wanted to be sure that women could still get breast cancer screenings at Planned Parenthood. We’ve spent the last few months developing an expanded program that plays to our strengths while addressing the biggest barriers to getting care,” Richards said. “Planned Parenthood doctors and nurses will be able to help more women than ever detect breast cancer early and take charge of their health. We’re proud to be working with Komen again on our shared mission of protecting women’s health and beating breast cancer.”
As a trusted provider of health care to nearly three million patients a year, Planned Parenthood has a deep understanding of the challenges women often face when seeking care. When it comes to following up on breast abnormalities, fear and cost are two of the most significant barriers. Planned Parenthood is addressing these barriers through its expanded breast health work, with an emphasis on several key program areas:
- Grants for follow-up diagnostic care awarded to local health centers to help cover some of the costs associated with follow-up care, like ultrasounds and biopsies.
- Digital breast health educational resources specifically designed for and targeted to women aged 18-39.
- An expanded promotores educational and outreach program to reach Latinas.
- A new and unique tool specially designed for Planned Parenthood doctors and nurses to better assess breast cancer risk in patients — including those under 40.
Actress Gabrielle Union, a longtime breast health advocate, is partnering with Planned Parenthood to launch the expanded program. “Fear is what prevented my dear friend Kristen from getting a breast abnormality checked out – and that fear cost Kristen her life. I’m so glad that Planned Parenthood is helping address fears around breast cancer—especially among young women. Every young woman should know about the importance of early detection, and what to do and where to go if something feels wrong.”
The Lance Armstrong Foundation is a key partner in Planned Parenthood’s breast health initiative. “As an organization dedicated to serving people affected by cancer, the Lance Armstrong Foundation understands the critical role of early detection in saving lives,” said Doug Ulman, president and CEO of the Lance Armstrong Foundation. “We’re celebrating that Planned Parenthood will be able to provide even more women with cancer screening services. We’re grateful that women diagnosed with cancer will be seamlessly connected to our free, bilingual LIVESTRONG Cancer Navigation services so that we can help them through the financial, emotional, and physical challenges they may face.”
Planned Parenthood’s breast health initiative will also expand the breast health education provided through its promotores community health worker program, which reaches thousands of Latinas every year in 16 communities, educating women and their families about reproductive health issues, connecting them to Planned Parenthood health centers for health care services, and helping them navigate the complicated health care system when follow up care is needed.
“Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among Hispanic women. The more Planned Parenthood promotores can reach Latinas in communities and connect them to breast health services, the more we can start to reduce the rates of breast cancer deaths among Latinas,” said Cecile Richards.
One in five women in America has turned to Planned Parenthood at some point in her life for health care. A critical resource for women in the fight to detect breast cancer, Planned Parenthood health centers nationwide perform nearly 750,000 breast cancer screenings each year. Forty-seven Planned Parenthood affiliates will be providing expanded breast health services. To learn more, go to plannedparenthood.org/breast-health.
Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading sexual and reproductive health care provider and advocate. We believe that everyone has the right to choose when or whether to have a child, and that every child should be wanted and loved. Planned Parenthood affiliates operate nearly 800 health centers nationwide, providing medical services and sexuality education for millions of women, men, and teenagers each year. We also work with allies worldwide to ensure that all women and men have the right and the means to meet their sexual and reproductive health care needs.
Source: http://www.plannedparenthood.org
