News

Arkansas Affiliate of Susan G. Komen recently handed out 17 grants to worthy programs across the state and the Searcy Breast Center and Unity Health Foundation were awarded a grant of $17,500 to support screenings at the Cancer Center of Excellence.

"The funding will be used by the Searcy Breast Center to provide the screening diagnostic and interventional services to women who lack financial resources and it is targeted for women who have incomes below the poverty level or have a high deductible that affects negating access for their mammography services, Searcy Breast Center Manager, Brenda Walker said. "Even though some women may have insurance it may not cover the payments, this helps women to have access to these services," Walker said.

A total of $713,773 was granted throughout Arkansas. This included $239,000 of money raised in Arkansas that will go directly into Komen National Research grants to find a cure for breast cancer.

"We are always proud of the opportunity to help the women in our state with grant funds," said Arkansas Mission Director Karolyn Taylor. "Our grants are a direct result of the hard work of our volunteers and the generosity of our supporters. The recipients of these funds were chosen because their innovative, evidence-based projects aligned with one or more target priorities identified in the 2015 Komen Arkansas Community Profile. We want to understand the breast cancer needs of every community we serve. Every four years, the Arkansas Affiliate examines the impact of breast cancer within our service area by conducting an assessment, the Community Profile Report, which ensures that our efforts (community outreach, collaborations, grants and public policy work) address the greatest needs in each community. The full 2015 Community Profile can be found on our website at www.komenarkansas.org"

Komen for the Cure was established as the Komen Foundation in 1982 by Nancy Brinker to honor the memory of her sister, Susan G. Komen, who died from breast cancer at the age of 36. Thanks to more than 75,000 volunteers dedicated to the fight against breast cancer, Komen for the Cure with its Affiliate Network is the world's largest private funder of community-based breast health education and breast cancer screening and treatment programs. Together with its Affiliate Network, corporate partners and donors, Komen for the Cure has raised over one billion dollars for the fight against breast cancer.