by Jennifer Kowalewski

For the sixth consecutive year, the Columbus affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation has issued a grant to OU-COM’s Community Service Programs (CSP).

The grant, this year totaling $54,022, helps to fund CSP’s Healthy Adult Project, which provides free breast exams for uninsured or underinsured women. The program’s outreach covers 10 counties in Southeastern Ohio, largely through the use of CSP’s Mobile Health Unit. The grant allows women to have breast screenings that would otherwise not be available.

According to Janice Smith, Healthy Adult Project coordinator, the program serves people throughout the community, from school age into adulthood.

“What the Komen Foundation allows us to do is see the uninsured or underinsured who may not have access to health care,” Smith says. “The foundation requires we see 300 women and reach 400 high school students. We easily accomplish that through our outreach. We also have reach 1,400 people through displays at health fairs.

Since it began, the number of patients CSP sees has steadily grown because of it mobile clinics, making the Komen grant imperative for those living in the rural Appalachia. OU-COM began its relationship with the Komen Foundation in 2000 because of the efforts of Marty Bayha, an administrative assistant in OU-COM’s Department of Family Medicine and a breast cancer survivor.

Kathy Trace, R.N., director of CSP, says that the Komen Foundation has given CSP the ability to grow and serve more people each year through augmenting the efforts of various programs.

“The foundation has been a wonderful organization to work with,” Trace says.

The grant allows not only for more screenings but also for the implementation of educational programs in high schools, senior centers and other public locales. CSP believes education is crucial in establishing healthy lifestyles.

“My main focus,” says Anne Pearch, CSP community health nurse coordinator, “is to make the clients aware of the health issues facing women whether it’s related to heart problems, breast cancer or cervical cancer.” Pearch has spent her last eight years concentrating on women’s health.

“Much of what we do is to provide education to high school students about the importance of learning how to do a self breast exam and having annual gynecological exams. Breast health education shouldn’t start at age 40,” she says.

In addition to free screenings and education, the Healthy Adult Project refers women to doctors who donate their services or will employ a sliding scale for patient payments. The program also screens community members for conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and heart disease.

The Komen Foundation is hosting its annual Race for the Cure in Columbus Saturday May 20. The race is one of the foundation’s fundraisers. OU-COM is putting together a team to participate in the event. Anyone interested in participating in the race or wishes to donate to the OU-COM team should contact Trace at (740) 593-9364.

“This is one way we can show our support and appreciation for all that the Komen Foundation does in this area,” Trace says.

The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation was founded as a promise between Nancy Goodman Brinker, and her sister, Susan Goodman Komen, who died of breast cancer at age 36.  Since its inception in 1982, the organization has funded innovative cancer research and community outreach programs as well as diagnostic efforts. The main goal of the organization remains to eradicate breast cancer as a life-threatening illness.