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Current Grant Recipients

These projects have been selected by our independent Grant Review Panel as those that will have the greatest impact in serving uninsured or underinsured women in our service area. Please note that Susan G. Komen for the Cure® is not a direct service provider.

List of Current Community Grant Recipients

Komen Nebraska’s local fundraising efforts, such as the Komen Nebraska Race for the Cure^®, have enabled the Affiliate to award 13 grants through our Community Grants Program, totaling $560,948.10.  These grants support several Nebraska breast health education, screening and treatment programs.  The Affiliate funds innovative programs that help women and men overcome the cultural, social, educational and financial barriers to breast cancer screening and treatment.  

 

The 2011-2012 Komen Nebraska Affiliate Community Grant Recipients are:

 

A Time to Heal Foundation - $45,100 - The “A Time to Heal for Co-Survivors”

A Time to Heal (ATTH), a successful 12-week holistic rehabilitation program for post-treatment breast cancer survivors, is an existing vehicle where co-survivors could receive services.  This grant will develop a handbook for caregivers that parallels the current 12-week ATTH program, a manual for facilitators explaining how to address co-survivors needs, and a model for incorporating caregivers into the ATTH groups.

For more information on the A Time to Heal program, or the A Time to Heal Program for Co-survivors, contact Dr. Stephanie Koraleski.

Project Director: Steph Koraleski

 

Alegent Health Cancer Center - $53,920 - “Image Recovery Center Patient Assistance Fund”

Image Recovery Center consultants help breast cancer patients manage the serious side effects that accompany the treatment of breast cancer.  All patients are given a complimentary consultation, an individualized care plan, and education.  The Patient Assistance Fund allows the Image Recovery Center staff to provide post-surgical mastectomy garments, wigs, and specialized skin care products to patients, regardless of their ability to pay.

Project Director:  Beki Rainey

 

CATCH, Inc. - $48,000 - “Missing Link”

The “Missing Link” project will provide Hispanic women, ages 19-64, education and preventive screening on breast cancer and assist with treatment referral if needed.  This proposal covers 21 rural counties in Eastern Nebraska or 23% of the state counties.The target population for this project is Hispanic women who are not informed of preventive screenings and need access to care.  Promotoras, case managers and two Spanish-speaking physicians will make up the team to meet the objectives.  

The project goal is to close the missing link by expanding services to educate participants on how to conduct self-breast examinations, refer women to free breast exams, and provide a mammogram for all women over the age of 40 who do not qualify for the every woman matters program and who have not had a mammogram in the past year.  In the event a participant would have an abnormal finding, the Hispanic health care case manager assists with accessing additional testing and treatment. The collaboration of health departments and a community action agency will provide improved health outcomes and help eliminate disparities among minority women.

Project Director:  Gayle Coffin

 

Community Action Partnership of Mid-Nebraska - $26,188 - “Healthy Breast Education and Screening Options for Adult Minority and Low-Income Women in Dawson and Buffalo Counties”

The goal of this program is to provide Healthy Breast Education and Screening Options to Adult Minority and Low-Income Women in Dawson and Buffalo Counties.  Women who attend the Minority Health Clinic of Good Health will have access to low / no-cost healthy breast education, pap tests, lab work, breast exams, and a complete physical with a referral for Mammography or follow-up treatment for negative results as appropriate.  Clients will also receive help with Every Woman Matters program enrollment and / or Medicaid coverage assistance.  Un-insured clients unable to afford mammography who do not qualify for any other payment assistance will be offered vouchers for mammography and travel vouchers to the nearest federally funded health clinic for further treatment as needed.  Bilingual billboards promoting Healthy Breast Education will be posted.  "Promotoras" will act as Patient Navigators / Interpreters to improve access to culturally competent care for all breast health related appointments.  A Breast Cancer Survivor Support Group will be established.  And finally, two women's health fairs promoting Healthy Breast Education will be held.

Project Director:  Julie Weir 

 

Good Samaritan Hospital Foundation - $29,620 - “Breast Health Screening and Testing for Women at High Risk for Breast Cancer”

The Good Samaritan Hospital Cancer Center will facilitate breast cancer screening services to women at high risk for breast cancer who do not meet age requirements for the Every Woman Matters Program.  The target number of services to be provided includes 18.  The breast cancer screening services would include mammograms and Breast MRI when indicated.  Also, provision for genetic testing in women who meet NCCN guidelines but do not meet Myriad Genetic Laboratories financial aid criteria.  The overall goal is to address gaps in breast cancer care.

Project Director:  Marilyn Kile

 

Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services - $50,560 - “Every Woman Matters”

The Every Woman Matters Program (EWM) will assist enrolled clients in paying for hospital fees associated with breast biopsies performed under the program, at participating sites.  Funds will also be used by EWM to assist enrolled EWM clients under the age of 40 in paying for breast diagnostic services performed under the program, at participating sites.  EWM will provide an estimated 60 EWM clients with breast biopsy procedures.  Hospital fees associated with the breast biopsy procedures is an average cost of $786 per client.  EWM will also provide an estimated 20 clients with breast diagnostic procedures.  Associated costs with breast diagnostic procedures are an average cost of $170 per client.

Project Director:  Melissa Leypoldt

 

Nebraska Medical Center - $34,000 - “Life Renewal Center”

The Nebraska Medical Center’s grant will provide breast and cranial prosthetics for under-insured and uninsured women in need of these services.  This grant will also provide transportation for these women to travel to the Life Renewal Center.

Project Director:  Ann Yager

 

OneWorld Community Health Centers,  Inc. - $24,148 - “Patient Navigator and Educational Outreach Program”

The Patient Navigator and Educational Outreach Program assists OneWorld patients in accessing the resources and services available for breast cancer screenings in the Clinic, as well as referral and follow-up services in the community, with a special focus on Hispanic women.  This project will use various methods to educate women about breast cancer and the need for regular breast exams and mammograms.  The program will be evaluated on the number of patient contacts and referrals made by the Patient Navigator and the number of educational materials distributed through outreach activities.

Project Director:  Lori Bechtold

 

OneWorld Community Health Centers, Inc. - $50,000 - “Breast Cancer Screening and Treatment Program”

This program screens women for breast cancer by providing clinical breast exams for low-income women who would not otherwise be able to afford it, with a special focus on Hispanic women.  OneWorld will provide an estimated 727 clinical breast exams through this program.  For the diagnostic portion of the program, OneWorld will provide as many mammograms as possible.  Women diagnosed with breast cancer through this program will receive treatment through OneWorld's relationship with the Hope Medical Outreach Coalition and partner hospitals.

Project Director:  Lori Bechtold

 

Saint Elizabeth Foundation - $15,000 - “Early Detection in Minority Populations”

This project will provide 75 no-cost mammograms for low-income, uninsured or underinsured women who do not qualify for the State of Nebraska's Every Woman Matters Program.  Through on-going educational outreach efforts in the minority community in Lincoln, eligible women will be offered the opportunity to obtain a no-cost mammogram at Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center.

Project Director:  Kristi Perrotto

 

Saint Francis Medical Center - $15,309.10 - “The Outreach Risk Awareness Project”

The Outreach Risk Awareness Project seeks to increase breast cancer awareness of patient risk, diagnosis and treatment for minority and low-income women with the use of kiosks, breast models and other education materials.

The presentation will be at public events such as the Nebraska State Fair, Husker Harvest Days, two minority health fairs, and the placement of the user friendly kiosks will be at locations near the target populations. The kiosks also will be used during public presentations.  The project will serve an estimated 2,753 minority women age 35 or older and 2,743 low-income, non-minority women.  The project will use two breast cancer education kiosks with breast models and educational materials to reach at least 1,500 women a year and achieve the following goals:

1. Create awareness of breast cancer risk education to minority and low-income women in Hall, Hamilton, Howard and Merrick Counties.
2. Increase access to screenings, diagnosis and treatment for minority and low-income women.

Project Director:  Jacque Langford

 

UNMC - $56,518 - “Development of a Community-Based Lay Navigator Program”

This grant will assist the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) in the development of a patient navigator program focused on improving culturally-appropriate and diverse support services to foster the use of best practice patterns for the care of African American and Latino women in Douglas County.  UNMC will develop a training curriculum that will educate volunteer patient navigators to navigate the complexities of breast cancer care and recognize best practice patterns in breast care.  Navigators will respond to telephone calls and accompany patients to all medical appointments.  Navigators will also be required to participate in quarterly continuing navigator education.  Ongoing partnerships with organizations in the local African American and Latino communities will publicize navigator services.

Project Director:  Dr. Edibaldo Silva

 

Visiting Nurse Association - $112,585 - “Providing Assistance to Breast Cancer Survivors”

This program will provide assessment and direct patient support through a patient financial assistance program.  This program also offers in-home services to survivors undergoing treatment in the VNA service area.  The Patient Assistance Program helps survivors manage finances during treatment.  Survivors may be insured, but have deductibles and co-pay bills, need to pay travel expenses to see a specialist, or may run out of paid vacation while on FMLA for treatment and need help with expenses.

Project Director:  Brandi Tumbleson

 

TOTAL AMOUNT GRANTED:  $560,948.10