STRATEGY
Many women in our community are not getting screenings because they do not have access to adequate healthcare resources, and by the time they are diagnosed with breast cancer, the result may be fatal. Consequently, too many women in our community are dying from breast cancer unnecessarily because their disease is not detected early. The same holds true for women with heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women — and one of the most preventable. Prevention and early detection plays a key role in fighting heart disease. The support and contributions of our volunteers, partners and donors enables WBHI to reach an average of 11,000 homes annually to provide breast and heart health education, and access to free screenings for breast cancer and heart disease to women whose disease may otherwise go undetected. Through our unique door-to-door campaign, WBHI can change the course of breast cancer and heart-related deaths in our community and prevent at-risk women from succumbing to their disease unnecessarily.
HOW THE WOMEN’S BREAST & HEART HEALTH INITIATIVE IMPACTS WOMEN’S LIVES
WBHI’s helps at-risk women in our community by providing access to information and resources in order to control and/or minimize the risk of both breast cancer and heart disease among at-risk women in our community. We accomplish this by focusing on three key areas:
OUTREACH
DOOR-TO-DOOR OUTREACH CAMPAIGNS
WBHI’s core program is targeted neighborhood door-to-door outreach. Trained multilingual volunteers provide breast and heart health educational packages, and make appointments for breast and heart screenings. Each outreach campaign culminates with a neighborhood screening day. Mobile mammography vans and clinicians provide at-risk women with the screenings that could find early stage breast cancer and heart disease right in their neighborhoods. While women wait for screening, they participate in physical activity and nutrition sessions. Upon completion of screenings, women receive a bag of fresh fruit and vegetables along with a healthy eating guide. Referrals for any additional screenings and treatment are provided as needed.
REFERRAL PROGRAM
Qualified women not living in targeted door-to-door outreach neighborhoods contact WBHI and are provided referrals for screenings performed by collaborating hospital and medical partners.
ANNUAL RE-SCREENING PROGRAM
Each woman screened through WBHI’s efforts is provided an opportunity to receive ongoing preventive breast cancer and heart disease screening.
