Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Dallas 8

Susan G. Komen Patient Care Center, California

Susan G. Komen Patient Care Center The path to breast cancer care is daunting and complex under the best of circumstances, but it is further complicated for underserved populations, particularly women of color, who experience significant barriers throughout the continuum of care. In the U.S., Black women die from breast cancer about 40% more than white women, and breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths for all Hispanic women. Susan G. Komen’s Scientific Advisory Board estimates as many as 30% of breast cancer deaths could be avoided if all people had access to timely, high-quality care, which is unfortunately not the case today. At Komen, we are focused on saving lives by removing barriers and ensuring all people receive the care they need through Komen’s Patient Care Center. The Patient Care Center is a suite of integrated direct patient programs that ensure no one faces breast cancer alone. The Patient Care Center provides support and resources for people in local communities across the country by working seamlessly together so a person can access all the programs through one central source. The Patient Care Center includes the following programs and services: Breast Care Helpline Patient Navigation Financial Assistance Emotional Support The Komen Patient Care Center promotes health equity by removing barriers to care for marginalized individuals and communities so that all people have access to programs and services to support their breast health. This intentional focus reduces health disparities and ultimately saves lives. The wholistic Patient Care Center addresses barriers to care by: - Providing information and educational resources about breast cancer screening and treatment options. - Helping you better understand your breast cancer diagnosis. - Connecting you with resources and financial support. - Providing emotional support. - Holding your hand every step of the way - for as long as you need. Breast Helpline In the Patient Care Center, Komen’s Helpline offers caring and compassionate support to over 40,000 individuals each year and is the go-to source to learn about breast cancer and get connected to resources. Barriers addressed include: economic, logistical/practical access to care, psychosocial support, treatment/quality of care and other health educational topics. Patient Navigation The U.S. healthcare system is complicated and oftentimes, disjointed. For those facing a breast cancer diagnosis, the journey throughout the system can be incredibly daunting. The average breast cancer patient sees between 11 and 14 healthcare professionals who focus on different aspects of a treatment plan and can be from different practices, in different locations, with different requirements for insurance, payment and with complex online systems. Komen’s patient navigation program is designed to guide patients from an abnormal screening to the diagnostic processes and onward through treatment and survivorship. Komen Patient Navigators are available through the Komen Helpline, and work directly with people seeking support in navigating through any part of the breast cancer experience. Komen Navigators also assist patients and families with finding, creating access and assisting with enrolling people in local and state resource programs, also a very complex process. Komen Financial Assistance Susan G. Komen’s Financial Assistance Program provides support for some of the out-of-pocket costs associated with breast cancer and metastatic breast cancer treatment and can help people pay for basic needs like housing, transportation, medications, co-pays, childcare, groceries, palliative care and more. Funds for qualified individuals experiencing need during treatment receive $500 each year during treatment Restricted funding opportunities are available in Orange County, CA starting at $15,000.00. WHAT MY DONATION CAN FUND: Patient Care Services and Community Health Programs • $25 could support our Patient Care Center navigators as they identify credible, trusted, local resources for individuals needing breast health services. • $50 could provide needed funds to a person in treatment for breast cancer for gas to and from their appointments. • $100 could provide emotional support, breast health and breast cancer information and access to resources for one person through our Patient Care Center navigators. • $150 could provide needed funds for a person in treatment for breast cancer to buy one week of groceries. • $500 could provide financial support for a patient in treatment who needs help paying with the costs of daily living like rent, transportation, groceries, medical appointment co-pays and so much more. • $500 could provide breast health education to a faith-based organization through the Komen Worship in Pink program. • $600 could provide up to 1,000 people living with MBC access to education from breast cancer researchers through the Komen MBC Impact Series. • $650 could provide patient navigation for as long as an individual needs support, identifying and connecting to resources, navigating the health care system, communicating with health care providers, understanding treatment options and accessing support services.

Susan G. Komen Financial Assistance Program, California

With your help, we can make a substantial difference in the lives of those battling breast cancer. Your gift to the Komen Financial Assistance Program (KFA) will ensure we can continue our vital work without turning away any patient in need. 93% of individuals who received Komen Financial Assistance reported fewer financial sacrifices and less anxiety about covering the cost of their breast cancer care. This is the impact your support can have – reducing both financial and emotional toxicity that so many endure. Simple things some may take for granted can make all the difference for people struggling to make ends meet and stay in treatment. With the cost of breast cancer treatment for many reaching $100,000, the financial toll of the disease is real. Consider Linda, a recent unhoused patient supported by the program. Linda was living in a shelter when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Through Komen Helpline, Komen Navigators helped Linda find stable housing, and she used Komen Financial Assistance to buy herself a bed – her own bed – in her new home, and a place to rest and recover from breast cancer treatment. As a single mother of three, Sheila lost her hourly-wage job after her diagnosis because she had to miss work due to chemotherapy treatments. She was struggling to pay rent and buy groceries. The KFA support allowed Sheila to avoid being evicted, and she wrote to our team to thank them for giving her the joy of being able to buy pizza to celebrate her child’s birthday. ” We probably would have gone without food or the telephone… it took a huge weight off of me,” – Coleen, Komen Financial Assistance recipient. Funding for the Komen Financial Assistance program is designed to relieve the financial toxicity of breast cancer experienced by low-income individuals in treatment. For those living at 300% or below the federal poverty line, KFA aims to alleviate the financial burden of a breast cancer or metastatic disease diagnosis, Stage 0 – IV. Approved recipients receive a once per year award of $500 that may be used for living expenses such as housing, utilities, bills, transportation, food, childcare, home health and palliative care, oral medications and much more. https://www.komen.org/support-resources/financial-assistance/ Program restricted funding opportunities in Orange County, CA, are available at $15,000 and above.