2008-09 Grantees 

The Acadiana Affiliate granted over $227,000 to fund the following local programs in 2008:

Acadia Council on Aging, Inc.  Acadia Breast Cancer Awareness, Education and Support Program.  The Acadia Council on Aging, Inc. will provide breast cancer awareness, education and support services to African American women, low-income individuals and breast cancer survivors and families affected by breast cancer in Acadia Parish.  This project will assist underserved individuals by (1) providing transportation services to clients, medical visits and support groups related to breast cancer prevention and treatment; (2) providing weekly breast health education services to help build breast cancer awareness, education and promote breast screenings among African American women, in addition to providing Breast Cancer Medicaid application assistance; (3) facilitating a monthly support group that provides education and emotional support for breast cancer survivors and their family; (4) providing childcare through local providers to low-income individuals seeking breast cancer screening, treatment or attending breast cancer support groups.  Serving residents of Acadia Parish.

Acadiana Medical Research Foundation.  Louisiana Breast and Cervical Health Program.  The purpose of this grant is to provide funding for mammograms for women 40-49 years of age who otherwise might not be able to afford this life-saving procedure.  Screenings are held throughout Acadiana.  The screening events are held in the evening to allow women to participate in the program without having to miss work and to facilitate child care.  Women who have previously participated in this program are sent a letter to inform them of screening events to encourage annual breast exams and mammograms.  Women are educated on BSE techniques, breast cancer prevention and breast cancer.  The target population for this program is women who are uninsured, underinsured, and who meet financial guidelines.  This program encourages breast cancer prevention.  Serving residents of Lafayette, Acadia, Iberia, Vermilion and St. Landry Parishes.

Faith House, Inc.: Crisis Shelter for Women and Children.  Education, Screening, and Early Detection for Breast Cancer.  An education and screening project will assist a medically underserved population - the residents of a shelter (Faith House) for victims of domestic violence and the members of weekly support groups.  The women attending the support groups have suffered violence and are either residents of the shelter or are non-residential clients.  Faith House is a crisis shelter for women and children and provides services for the five parish rural area of Lafayette, Evangeline, St. Landry, Vermilion and Acadia.  The education and screening of women in these parishes with the exception of Evangeline parish will aid in the mission of eradicating breast cancer.  Educational materials will include classes to teach self-breast examinations using simulated models, demonstrations, and return demonstrations and will be at the level of understanding of the women.  The REALM will be used to determine reading comprehension.  Women will be supervised in performing their own self-breast examinations.  The women will be given written instructions at their level of reading comprehension to use as a reference.  Appropriate referrals will be made for women to have mammograms when needed and the women will be assisted in making appointments and traveling to the location for the mammogram.  Serving residents of Lafayette, Iberia, Acadia, St. Landry, St. Martin and Vermilion Parishes.

Lafayette Community Health Care Clinic.  Mammograms for Life - 2008.  The Lafayette Community Health Care Clinic (LCHCC) provides non-emergency medical, dental and pharmaceutical services to low-to-moderate income, working, uninsured residents of Lafayette Parish at no cost to the patients.  Since 2002, grants from Susan G. Komen for the Cure have enabled LCHCC to develop and implement its "Mammograms for Life" program.  This program provides mammogram screening needed to diagnose breast disease.  The "Mammograms for Life" program has diagnosed four women with breast cancer, facilitated referral for treatment and given them the best chance for an optimal outcome.  Others are being followed for short term evaluation of suspicious findings.  A grant from Susan G. Komen for the Cure in 2008 will allow LCHCC to continue to offer this live-saving program to women who would otherwise not have access to these screenings and diagnostic services.  Serving residents of Lafayette Parish.

Miles Perret Cancer Services.  The Cancer Journey Hits the Road.  Our mission is "to serve families in Acadiana fighting and surviving cancer, with care and compassion."  We currently provide medical equipment and supplies, nutritional supplements, bras, prostheses, resource information, wigs, hats, turbans, and scarves, as well as support and survivorship programs to clients at our main Center in Lafayette and satellite office in New Iberia.  A new, 26' Winnebago "Mobile Unit" has been ordered to enable us to bring our services directly to those in surrounding rural parishes who for financial, physical or emotional reasons would never be able to receive services. Serving residents of Lafayette, Iberia, Acadia, St. Landry, St. Martin and Vermilion Parishes.

Opelousas General Health System.  Opelousas General Cares.  Opelousas General Health System (OGHS) is a "Public Trust," seeking financial resources to help set up a hospital based outreach and education program that offers a breast cancer support group and complimentary screening for eligible women in St. Landry Parish who have minimal or no health insurance.  The idea behind the program is to raise awareness about breast cancer and encourage women to seek early screening, which saves lives.  Quarterly breast cancer support group meetings would be held in an effort to reduce breast cancer fears through the support of breast cancer survivor volunteers.  New educational materials such as, breast cancer videos would be placed on the hospital's education delivery system, to give healthcare professionals a full range of resources to educate women.  OGHS would also host a "Think Pink Day" in the month of October, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  This community fundraising event would increase the community's awareness of services available to patients in need of cancer screening, treatments, and follow-up by one: providing educational materials; two: offering free breast cancer risk assessments for women; and three: scheduling recruited patients for annual mammograms.  All proceeds would benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure.  Promotion of the Breast Cancer Awareness Program will take place through flyers, educational materials, brochures, and advertising in the local, community newspapers.  Serving residents of St. Landry Parish.