“Wisconsin received funding for a learning collaborative developed to reduce breast cancer mortalities for African-American women,” said Gail D. Johnson, Director of the Wisconsin Well Women Program (WWWP) in the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. “We intend to have direct contact with breast cancer survivors in the community, women who are personally affected, and those with a family member who died from this disease.” The WWWP is a federally funded program that provides free screening for breast and cervical cancer and related services for women throughout Wisconsin.
This chilling fact was the impetus for convening a group of breast cancer survivors, nurses, patient navigators, researchers, medical thought leaders, advocates, and media. Breast cancer specialist and surgeon Dr. Alonzo P. Walker was also among those crammed into a room at the Holiday Inn to share best practices, barriers, and personal needs required to improve support and access to services by black women dealing with breast cancer.
Sponsors of the meeting included the Wisconsin Well Women Program (WWWP), National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD), Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Johnson emphasized the value of this learning collaborative, “Women talked about their experiences — what’s working, what doesn’t work, and what we need to do. For example, provide transportation for some women. Although data presented focused on women ages 50 to 69, another concern expressed was that attention should expand to include younger women.” |
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COLLABORATORS:
Ascension-Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital After Breast Cancer Diagnosis American Cancer Society Aurora Family Services Aurora Walker’s Point CommunityClinic Black Women 50+ Health & Lifestyles Magazine Calvary Baptist Church Health Ministry Froedtert Hospital Breast Cancer Program Holy Temple Firstborn MBC Joyful Foundation Inc Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center Milwaukee Health Department Nurses Affecting Change Oza Holmes Breast Cancer Support Group Perseverance Coaching Racine Health Department Sisters Can Survive Sisters 4 Cure St Joseph Hospital Susan G. Komen-Wisconsin University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee University of Wisconsin-Madison Cancer Center Wisconsin Association of Free & Charitable Clinics Wisconsin Cancer Council Wisconsin Department of Health Services Wisconsin General Baptist Convention Wisconsin Well Women -- Wise Women Programs Wisconsin Women Health Foundation Wisconsin Minority Health Program |
Sandra Millon Underwood, Ph.D., FANN and Professor at the University of Wisconsin’s College of Nursing explained, “Research proves that there are significant disparities in the incidence of survival, and mortality among African-American women compared to white women in Wisconsin, especially in Milwaukee. There is a disconnect between the discovery and delivery of effective interventions for early detection of breast cancer. Collaborating with those who share our goal to implement practices that ensure access to treatments and services while also reducing disparities in outcomes is an effective approach to eliminating the disconnect. That means working with health care systems, organizations that regularly interact with women and advocates who are committed to the work. We intend to implement practices with proven effectiveness that facilitates access to the services that we know work.” Watch Sisters We Thrive, Stories We All — Showing on YouTube.