It happened to her the same way it happens to many women. The Baptist mobile mammography vehicle was in the parking lot of her employer, Medtronic, and it was time for her check-up. She decided to take a few minutes and get the routine screening. After all, she was a race chair volunteer for Komen – she of all people should set a good example. This young mother in her early 30’s with two children and no family history of cancer expected free and clear results.
But afterwards . . . she got the call. She had breast cancer. Scary news indeed. Fortunately, it’s less scary when caught early. There have been major improvements in the treatment of early stage breast cancer in the last three decades. In 1980, survival chances were about 80 percent. Today, that percentage is 99 percent. And that’s the number one reason for women today to get regular screenings or diagnostic mammograms.
How Big is the Problem?
Breast cancer treatment has come a long way, but still in 2014 there will be 40,000 breast cancer deaths in the United States. One in eight women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Older females are the most at-risk. In the state of Tennessee, it is estimated that for every 100,000 women, 129 will be diagnosed with breast cancer.
Breast cancer in men is rare, but it happens. It is estimated that 430 men in the United States will die from breast cancer in 2014.
The biggest problem in the Mid-South and anywhere else is that poverty and breast cancer go hand-in-hand. The primary reason seems to be that women in impoverished areas don’t get the regular screenings they need and even when a problem is detected, they hold back. That’s why the Memphis Komen organization has been working since 1992 to raise money and get grants to the various medical entities that can assist the local underserved female population.
This past May, Memphis Komen awarded over $500,000 in grants to Baptist Memorial Hospital for Women, Regional One Health, Julie B. Baier Foundation via the Mroz Baier Breast Care Clinic, Baptist Memorial DeSoto, Methodist Healthcare Foundation, Church Health Center, Baptist Medical Group, Alliance Charitable Foundation, New Bethel M. B. Church and Urban Health Education and Support Services. Because of this, more than 6,500 people will receive breast care and treatment and over 17,000 will receive educational materials.
Speaking of grants, it’s no secret that the national Komen organization went through a public relations nightmare in 2012 when it announced a decision to discontinue giving voluntary financial grants to Planned Parenthood. There was a huge shake-up with the organization’s top executives. Fundraising suffered and participation in their infamous Race for the Cure® slowed down significantly. Because of that nightmare they reversed the decision and hired a new CEO, Dr. Judith Salerno, then the COO of the Institute of Medicine. There seems to be dueling ownership of Komen’s funding troubles. In addition to Planned Parenthood supporters who continue to hold a grudge, Pro-Lifers are not happy that Komen reinstated their Planned Parenthood grants.
Regardless, the group has since been on the road to recovery. What the Memphis Komen Affiliate executive director, Elaine Hare, wants you to know about this is that the local affiliates are independently owned and operated – like a franchise. They have a separate grants committee that decides how grant funds will be allocated. Since the local Planned Parenthood organization has never applied for a grant from the local Komen organization, it was never involved in a decision to deny a grant. Komen Memphis has suffered along with the entire Komen brand, she says. However, they are gradually re-gaining ground.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
Donate
Your donations help Komen Memphis reach their primary goal of getting breast care to women in our local underserved areas. 75 percent of the money they receive goes to grants as outlined above. The remaining 25 percent goes to research. There are many ways to donate and all are outlined on their website: www.komenmemphis.org/make-a-donation. Donations help save the lives of all the women in your life – mothers, sisters, wives, daughters, aunts, cousins, nieces, friends and neighbors!
Participate in the Race
This year’s race will take place on Saturday, October 25th, at 9 a.m., at Carriage Crossing in Collierville. It is the 22nd annual race put on by Komen Memphis. This year’s fundraising goal is $500,000 and fundraisers can earn prizes such as luggage, power tools, cookware and TVs. Check out the website for more information: www.komenmemphis.org/komen-race-for-the-cure
Become a RACE SPONSOR
Why not have your organization step up and help sponsor this upcoming race? For more information, please contact Mandy Powell at 901-757-8686.
VOLUNTEER
Volunteers are the lifeline of this organization. You can assist with outreach or office-based projects or with special events. There’s a volunteer application online at:
www.komenmemphis.org/get-involved/volunteer.
Do you have a favorite non-profit or charity you’d like to see spotlighted in Memphis on the Mend? Send it to me at pamela@memphismedicalnews.com.