HERC
Recognized With Support From National Program
AVON
FOUNDATION BREAST CARE FUND AWARDS GRANTTO HERCFOR
BREAST CANCER OUTREACH PROGRAM
February 20,
2008– The Avon Foundation Breast Care Fund has awarded a
$35,000 one-year grant to HERC to increase awareness of the life-saving
benefits of early detection of breast cancer. This is the second year
that the program has received Avon Foundation funding to support
its work on this important health issue.
Since
1993, the Avon Foundation has awarded more than 1,000 grants to community-based
breast health programs across the United States, including WHIPP at
HERC. These programs are dedicated to educating
underserved women about breast cancer and linking them to early detection
screening services. |
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 HERC’s Women’s Health in the Point Project (WHIPP) will educate San Francisco area women and refer them to low-cost
or free mammograms and clinical breast exams in their own communities.
The vital program will also collaborate with Southeast Health Center
in building its breast cancer registry.
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We
are proud that the Avon Foundation shares our mission and has chosen
to support our program. With these funds we will be able to enhance
our outreach breast cancer awareness efforts, as well as breast
cancer education. Partnership with Southeast Health Center allows
HERC the capability of reaching more at-risk women and increase
access to breast health with the use of our clinic.
Mark Ghaly, Medical Director of Southeast Health Center
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Since June
of 1999, HERC’s WHIPP at has reached more than 3,501 women
with information about the importance of early detection of breast cancer
and has referred almost 800 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, 19,790 new cases of
breast cancer will be detected in California this year and 4,130 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 HERC help ensure that all women have access to early detection
information and options, even poor and medically underserved women.
Dr. Betty
McGee, Executive Director for HERC postulate that women living in the
southeast sector of San Francisco stands a much greater chance of getting
breast cancer and dying than other neighborhoods. McGee, contents that
the odds of women being more susceptible to breast cancer maybe due to
years of exposure to the power plant, emission from the Hunters Point
Shipyard, as well as large trucks and buses running through our neighborhoods.
Now with added resource provided by the AVON Foundation, women at high
risk for breast cancer will be armed with current breast cancer information.
Better access to treatment is a major component with the AVON grant.
The
Avon Foundation and Breast Cancer Crusade
The
Avon Foundation, an accredited 501(c)(3) public charity, was founded
in 1955 to improve the lives of women and their families. Now past
the half century milestone, the Foundation brings this mission to
life through the Speak Out Against Domestic Violence program and the
Avon Breast Cancer Crusade, which raises funds and awareness to advance
access to care and finding a cure for breast cancer, with a focus
on the medically underserved. Since 1992 the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade has raised and awarded more than $450 million worldwide for medical
research; access to care; support services; screening and diagnostics;
and education and awareness.
The
largest fundraising program in the U.S. is the Avon Walk
for Breast Cancer series.
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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 Bayview Hunters Point Health and Environmental
Resource Center (HERC) as one of over 100 new grant recipients
nationwide in the 2008 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
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- American
Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345 or www.cancer.org
- National
Cancer Institute at 1-800-4-CANCER or www.cancer.gov
- Avon
Foundation, call 1-866-505-AVON or www.avonfoundation.org,
where you can also access the free printable Breast Health Resource
Guide in English and Spanish
- Avon
Walk for Breast Cancer events, visit www.avonwalk.org or call 1-800-510-WALK
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