Press Release

Octo

Carthage, N.C., The U.S. Centers for Disease Control state that breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among women of all races and those of Hispanic origin populations. It is estimated that over 6,000 North Carolina women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012. Of that number, 1,000 of them are expected to lose their lives to the disease. Through education, early detection and patient services, this number can be lowered.

Rates of breast cancer vary among different ethnic groups. The 2011 Komen North Carolina Triangle to the Coast Affiliate’s Community Profile cites higher than average documented cases in Hispanic/Latina communities. This needs to be addressed to determine what specific breast health care needs and knowledge exists in this fast growing ethnic group. The Amando la Vida/Loving Life project will assess and take the first steps in addressing Hispanic/Latina breast health education and awareness needs in Moore and Lee counties. This is the collaboration of two neighboring counties partnering with Komen North Carolina Triangle to the Coast Affiliate for the first time to implement this type of health care initiative.

One of Susan G. Komen for the Cure North Carolina Triangle to the Coast Affiliate’s priorities is to strengthen and to build capacity of existing organizations promoting the importance of screening and early detection, and increasing community knowledge about local screening resources available to underserved women and women with high risk. The Amando la Vida/Loving Life project takes in hand this priority and addresses the need for an assessment of women with high risk within Moore and Lee counties. The partners have been awarded a Capacity Building and Community Mobilizing Grant amount of $9,956.00. The project will be led by Moore Free Care Clinic, the Amando la Vida organization and Lee and Moore Health Departments. The Moore Free Care Clinic, Lee Helping Hands Free Clinic, and Lee and Moore Health departments have invited their breast health partners to be part of the project. These partners include First Health of the Carolinas, Pinehurst Radiology, Moore County Government, St. Joseph of the Pines, Central Carolina Hospital in Lee County, local churches and Hispanic/Latina organizations within the communities. The group will ensure that successes, challenges, final outcomes and recommendations are shared with the local communities at the end of the project.

About Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the Komen North Carolina Triangle to the Coast Affiliate

Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever; and, in 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The Komen North Carolina Triangle to the Coast Affiliate serves 29 counties in central and eastern North Carolina, and holds two annual Races for the Cure events in Raleigh and Wilmington. Seventy-five percent of the net proceeds generated by the Affiliate stay in the service area. In 2012 $1.1 million was distributed to 19 service agencies to provide a continuum of breast health services to underinsured and uninsured women in our service area. The remaining twenty-five percent funds national breast cancer research. The Affiliate contributed $400,000 in 2012. This same year $2.4 million was returned to this area in the form of research grants at Duke and the University of North Carolina. For more information call (919) 493-2873 or visitwww.komennctc.org.

For additional information contact Eli Arroyo-Allen (910) 947-6363 or Tony Price (910) 246-5333.

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