Last night at "It's The Journey's" Giving Gala, representing the Board of Directors -- I had the honor and privilege of announcing the 2019-2020 grantees (list shown below) who were awarded $879,000 for breast cancer programs in Georgia. In addition to awarding $879,000 in grants, the evening raised over $100,000 for the
This year's grants were funded by monies raised by 2018 Georgia 2 day walk. “It is our honor to support the excellent work that these programs are doing,” said Stephani Tucker, executive director of It’s The Journey. “We are proud that our grants directly impact the lives of Georgians, reaching underserved communities and providing crucial funds for programs that fulfill needs that would otherwise go unmet.”
I personally enjoyed meeting more grantees & seeing so many the Georgia 2 day friends. Thanks to staff & volunteers who made it a spectacular event.
Special Shout out and recognition to the team I captain -- Simply the Breast (and those who continually support us) for all you do each year to raise funds. Through our fundraising efforts, we have raised over $100,000 in six years! I take pride in "seeing" and knowing where our dollars are contributed each year through the grantee celebration.
2019 RESEARCH GRANTEES
Morehouse School of Medicine Dr. Veena Rao Novel Biomarkers for Early Detection of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Emory University Dr. Adam Marcus Isolating Rare and Invasive Breast Cancer Cells to Uncover New Genetic Drivers and Therapeutic Opportunities
University of Georgia Dr. Cheryl T. Gomillion Engineered Model of the Mammary Tumor Microenvironment: Building the Framework for a Predictive Model of Breast Cancer Metastatic Potential
2019 RESEARCH GRANTEES
Morehouse School of Medicine Dr. Veena Rao Novel Biomarkers for Early Detection of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Emory University Dr. Adam Marcus Isolating Rare and Invasive Breast Cancer Cells to Uncover New Genetic Drivers and Therapeutic Opportunities
University of Georgia Dr. Cheryl T. Gomillion Engineered Model of the Mammary Tumor Microenvironment: Building the Framework for a Predictive Model of Breast Cancer Metastatic Potential
2019 PROGRAM GRANTEES
Athens Nurses Clinic Healthy Northeast Georgia Women Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Dawson, Elbert, Franklin, Greene, Hart, Jackson, Madison, Monroe, Newton, Oconee, Walton, Washington
Healthy Northeast Georgia Women provides breast health information, clinical breast exams, screening mammograms and coordinates advanced diagnostic testing at no cost for uninsured indigent women in northeast Georgia.
Atlanta Cancer Care Foundation Patient Financial Assistance Program Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, Dawson, Dekalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Hall, Henry, Newton, Paulding, Rockdale, Walton
The Atlanta Cancer Care Foundation provides assistance to adult cancer patients who are financially challenged by a cancer diagnosis. Approved grants are applied directly towards daily expenses such as mortgage or rent payments, utility bills, groceries, transportation, durable medical equipment, prescription medications, lymphedema garments or similar expenses.
Boat People SOS Atlanta Health Awareness & Promotion Program for Breast Cancer Barrow, Bartow, Clayton, Cobb, Dekalb, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Rockdale, Walton
The Health Awareness & Promotion Program for Breast Cancer seeks to improve access and promote preventive breast health services to underserved Asian women by providing culturally and linguistically appropriate breast health services.
Cancer Support Community Atlanta Living Fully with Breast Cancer Baldwin, Barrow, Bartow, Bibb, Bleckley, Carroll, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, Dawson, Douglas, Fayette, Floyd, Forsyth, Fulton, Greene, Gwinnett, Hall, Henry, Jackson, Jones, Lumpkin, Monroe, Morgan, Newton, Paulding, Pickens, Putnam, Rockdale, Union, Walton, White
The Living Fully with Breast Cancer program provides breast cancer patients and survivors supportive programs that include gentle exercise classes, nutrition programs, education forums, support groups and stress reduction classes.
Center for Black Women’s Wellness Community Breast Health Initiative Clayton, Cobb, Dekalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry
The Community Breast Health Initiative aims to increase women’s access to breast health services through extensive outreach and the dissemination of culturally appropriate messages on prevention and screening. The women who benefit from the program will be primarily African-American, uninsured or underinsured, and low-income. Services include low cost/no cost clinical breast exams and low cost/no cost screening mammograms and diagnostic services through area partners.
Clarkston Community Health Center Breast Health Initiative Dekalb, Fulton, Gwinnett
Clarkston Community Health Center’s Breast Health Initiative (BHI) aims to address barriers that immigrant and refugee women face by providing culturally and linguistically appropriate breast health education and services.
Dekalb Medical Foundation Mammograms and Breast Diagnostic Services for Uninsured and Underserved Women Clayton, Dekalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Rockdale
This program provides screening mammograms, diagnostic breast services including ultrasounds, and biopsies at no cost for low-income women who are uninsured and underinsured and do not qualify for Medicaid or Medicare.
East Georgia Cancer Coalition Have You Been Screened? Mammography Program EGCC- North Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Franklin, Greene, Hart, Jackson, Lincoln, Madison, Morgan, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Taliaferro, Walton, Wilkes EGCC-South Burke, Columbia, Emanuel, Glascock, Hancock, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, McDuffie, Richmond, Screven, Warren, Washington
The Have You Been Screened? Mammography program increases community access to mammogram services by addressing structural barriers and reducing out-of-pocket costs. The program incorporates the Community Guide’s evidence based task force recommendations by reducing the time and/or distance between the service delivery settings and target populations, offering services during non-traditional hours and offering services in alternative, non-clinical settings.
Emory University Bridge the GAP- Genetic Access Program for Individuals at Risk for Hereditary Breast Cancer Cobb, Coweta, Dekalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry
Bridge the GAP provides access to genetic counseling and testing for individuals who have a personal or family history suggestive of hereditary breast cancer and are uninsured or under-insured. Program participants are identified and seen at the Avon Comprehensive Breast Center at Grady Hospital or through the Emory Winship Genetic Counseling Program.
Good News Clinic Breast Disease Prevention and Treatment Project Hall
The Breast Disease Prevention and Treatment Project will provide free clinical breast exams and screening mammograms to uninsured/low income Hall County residents who have no other resources to receive them. Those who have positive screening results or symptoms requiring additional testing will be referred through Good News Clinics’ Health Access Program for free follow-up care including free diagnostic imaging.
Good Samaritan Health Center Good Sam’s Breast Health Program Carroll, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, Decatur, Dekalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Paulding, Pike, Rockdale
The Women’s Health Screening Program at The Good Samaritan Health Center provides clinical breast exams, screening mammograms, and diagnostic testing to uninsured, low- income women in Atlanta and the surrounding areas.
Good Samaritan Health Center of Cobb Women’s Health Initiative Bartow, Carroll, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Dekalb, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Paulding
The Women’s Health Initiative provides timely access to breast exams and mammogram referrals, education resources in a linguistically and culturally appropriate manner, and serves as a women’s healthcare safety net in order to help women live healthier lives.
Gwinnett Hospital System Foundation Mammograms for the Uninsured-Underserved Banks, Barrow, Dekalb, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Hall, Henry, Jackson, Newton
This project provides breast cancer screenings and evaluations of breast abnormalities for under-insured people in Gwinnett County. It provides mammograms to patients without insurance, or those who have extremely high co-pays or deductibles who present themselves as an identified need.
Lighthouse Lymphedema Network Compression for the Cause Banks, Barrow, Ben Hill, Berrien, Bibb, Bryan, Burke, Butts, Catoosa, Chatham, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Columbia, Coweta, Crisp, Dawson, Dekalb, Douglas, Effingham, Elbert, Emanuel, Fayette, Forsyth, Franklin, Fulton, Glascock, Gordon, Greene, Gwinnett, Habersham, Hall, Hart, Henry, Irwin, Jackson, Jasper, Jeff Davis, Lincoln, Lumpkin, Madison, McDuffie, Monroe, Morgan, Murray, Muscogee, Newton, Oconee, Paulding, Rabun, Richmond, Rockdale, Spalding, Sumter, Taliaferro, Tift, Walker, Walton, Warren, Washington, White, Whitfield, Wilkes
The Lighthouse Lymphedema Network has established the Bandages and Garment Fund to help individuals with lymphedema purchase the garments required to maintain the reduction gained from Complete Decongestive Therapy, the only treatment method available for lymphedema. Lymphedema is a condition approximately 50% of breast cancer patients will develop, and the garments are often not covered by health insurance.
Meadows Regional Health Center MRMC Breast Health Program Appling, Candler , Emanuel, Evans, Jeff Davis, Montgomery, Tattnall, Toombs, Truetlen, Wheeler
The Breast Health Program provides community education programs for breast health awareness and mammogram screening for vulnerable women of the region. Services target low income and uninsured residents of southeast Georgia.
Mercy Care Foundation Mercy Care’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Program Clayton, Cobb, Dekalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Rockdale
The Breast and Cervical Cancer Program includes self-breast examinations, clinical breast exams and mammograms, increased access to preventative and clinical services, and detection of any potential abnormalities through clinical exams and screening mammograms.
Northside Hospital Breast Diagnostic Services for Underserved Women NH-Inside Metro Atlanta Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Dekalb, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett NH-Outside Metro Atlanta Barrow, Bartow, Carroll, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Dawson, Decatur, Fannin, Gilmer, Gordon, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, Lumpkin, Meriwether, Pickens, Spalding
The Breast Diagnostic Services for Underserved Women project aims to detect breast cancer earlier and reduce the number of late stage disease diagnosed in underserved women with a focus on women of Hispanic or African American descent who live both inside and outside the metro-Atlanta area. Support from It’s The Journey provides free diagnostic services to underserved/uninsured women who live below 250% of the federal poverty level.
Piedmont Athens – Loran Smith Center Comprehensive Breast Care Program: Support Services Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Franklin, Greene, Habersham, Hart, Jackson, Madison, Morgan, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Stephens, Taliaferro, Walton, Wilkes
The Comprehensive Breast Care Program provides numerous support services for breast cancer patients, including linking screenings, diagnostics, inpatient care and treatments with the support services that are the hallmark of the Loran Smith Center. These services include both group and individual support services, genetic counseling and testing, and lymphedema, hair and other prostheses services through the “Beautiful You” boutique.
Piedmont Athens Regional Comprehensive Breast Care Program: Screening and Diagnostics Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Franklin, Greene, Habersham, Hart, Jackson, Madison, Morgan, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Stephens, Taliaferro, Walton, Wilkes
The Comprehensive Breast Care Program aims to offer early detection of breast cancer in northeast Georgia with superior diagnostic tools. Services include mobile mammography, screening and diagnostic services, and a High Risk Breast Cancer Clinic.
Piedmont Healthcare Fayette Hospital Breast Health Screening Services for Uninsured Women Clayton, Fayette, Fulton
This program provides screening mammograms free of charge for patients from Fayette County and the surrounding metro Atlanta counties who otherwise would not be able to afford these life-saving procedures.
Piedmont Healthcare Henry Hospital Breast Health Screening Services for Uninsured Women Butts, Clayton, Henry, Spalding
This program provides screening mammograms free of charge for patients from Henry County and the surrounding metro Atlanta counties who otherwise would not be able to afford these life-saving procedures.
Piedmont Healthcare Mountainside Hospital Breast Health Screening Services for Uninsured Women Gilmer, Pickens
This program provides screening mammograms free of charge for patients from Pickens and Gilmer Counties and the surrounding North Georgia counties who otherwise would not be able to afford these life-saving procedures.
Piedmont Healthcare Newton Hospital Breast Health Screening Services for Uninsured Women Butts, Henry, Jasper, Morgan, Newton, Rockdale, Walton
This program provides screening mammograms free of charge for patients from Newton County and the surrounding metro Atlanta counties who otherwise could not afford these lifesaving diagnostic procedures.
Piedmont Healthcare Newnan Hospital Breast Health Screening Services for Uninsured Women Carroll, Coweta, Fayette, Fulton, Heard, Henry, Lamar, Meriwether, Spalding, Troup
This program provides screening mammograms free of charge for patients from Coweta County and the surrounding metropolitan Atlanta counties who otherwise would not be able to afford these procedures.
Piedmont Healthcare Piedmont Atlanta Fighting Breast Cancer through Genetics Program Carroll, Cherokee, Clarke, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, Dekalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Newton, Rockdale
The Fighting Breast Cancer through Genetics Program at Piedmont Healthcare aims to provide cutting edge genetic testing services to medically underserved individuals. Genetic counseling and testing services are provided for patients at risk for hereditary breast cancer who are medically underserved or uninsured and live in the metropolitan Atlanta region or near Athens.
St. Josephs/Candler Mission Possible: Bridging the Mammography Gap Appling, Bryan, Bulloch, Candler, Chatham, Effingham, Glyn, Jasper, Liberty, McIntosh, Screven, Tattnall, Toombs, Treutlen
Mission Possible: Bridging the Mammography Gap provides breast health services to the underserved at no cost at all for patients that meet established financial criteria. Services include screening and diagnostic mammograms, breast ultrasound and MRI, image guided breast biopsies, and case management/patient navigation throughout the continuum of breast cancer detection, care and survivorship.
The Cancer Foundation Financial Assistance Program Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Franklin, Greene, Habersham, Hart, Jackson, Madison, Morgan, Newton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Putnam, Stephens, Taliaferro, Walton, Wilkes
The Financial Assistance Program provides emergency monetary assistance to individuals undergoing breast cancer treatment who are experiencing an immediate financial crisis because they cannot pay for basic life needs such as rent, utilities, medication, or transportation.
The Health Initiative Breast Cancer Prevention through Screenings & Education Chatham, Clarke, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, Dekalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Lowndes, Richmond
The Health Initiative provides breast education messaging that is culturally specific to sub-populations of women within the LGBTQ community throughout Georgia. Those education efforts will directly link to free screening opportunities with culturally competent providers.
Turning Point Financial Assistance for Specialized Rehabilitation and Support Baldwin, Barrow, Bartow, Carroll, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, Crawford, Dawson, Dekalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Habersham, Hall, Henry, Jackson, Madison, Newton, Oconee, Paulding, Putnam, Rabun, Rockdale, Towns, Union, White, Wilkes
The Reducing Barriers to Breast Cancer Rehabilitation & Survivorship Support program provides financial assistance to under-/uninsured and low-income patients to increase access to tailored breast cancer rehabilitation and survivorship support services. It also provides lymphedema garments for patients with lymphedema who meet the income- based financial assistance program eligibility requirements.
WellStar Atlanta Medical Center Reducing Late Stage Breast Cancer Butts, Clayton, Coweta, Dekalb, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Spalding
The Reducing Late Stage Breast Cancer program at WellStar Atlanta Medical Center provides free screening mammograms and diagnostic services to women and men who lack access to or are unable to afford these life-saving services within WellStar Atlanta Medical Center’s service area.
WellStar Legacy Reducing Late Stage Breast Cancer Bartow, Carroll, Cherokee, Cobb, Douglas, Floyd, Fulton, Paulding, Pickens
The Reducing Late Stage Breast Cancer- Legacy program provides free screening mammograms and diagnostic services for men and women who lack access to or are unable to afford these life-saving services in the legacy WellStar area (primarily Cobb, Douglas, Cherokee, and Paulding counties).