The statistics tell the tale: One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. 40,000 women in our country will die of breast cancer each year. Worldwide, someone dies of breast cancer every minute. When you take a step back, at some point in everyone’s life, they will be impacted by this disease.
To add to the staggering statistics, one in four Texans are uninsured – the highest rate nationwide. The result is a drastic lack of access to care and resources in our local communities. Susan G. Komen Austin believes that no person should die because they cannot access care.
“One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.”
Currently, Komen Austin is the only local breast cancer organization that fights breast cancer on all fronts: education, screening, treatment, follow-up care, survivorship support, advocacy and research. Out of the funds raised locally, 75 percent goes to providing breast health education and services in Komen Austin’s five-county service area, which includes Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis and Williamson. The remaining 25 percent goes to global research.
Over the years, Komen Austin has invested just over $11 million in community health grants that provide education and direct breast health care services. In the last five years alone, Komen Austin funding has provided over 64,000 breast health and education services through its community health grantees.
“Out of the funds raised locally, 75 percent goes to providing breast health education and services in Komen Austin’s five-county service area”
Komen Austin’s community healthcare grantees are chosen each year by an anonymous and independent community-based grant review panel. The panel’s goal is to ensure that the organizations we fund play a critical role in addressing gaps in breast healthcare in the Greater Austin area. Each grantee goes through a rigorous review process every six months by Komen Austin that reviews services provided and measurable outcomes. This process ensures that all Komen Austin funding covers only what the grant has set out to achieve.
For the 2015-2016 grant cycle, Komen Austin funding will be put to work by eight local community health organizations. Through these grantees, more than 3,400 breast health and education services will be provided for the five-county service area. In addition to the community health grantees, Komen Austin is fortunate to be powered by an army of almost 2,000 volunteers. Komen Austin would not be able to achieve a fraction of its outreach if not for these amazing men and women.
To learn more about Komen Austin, run/walk the 17th Annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Austin, become a volunteer, and the various ways that you can make a difference visit www.komenaustin.org, and find out how you can join the Komen Austin team in saving lives globally and fighting breast cancer globally.
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