Current Grant Recipients

These projects have been selected by our independent Grant Review Panel as those that will have the greatest impact in serving uninsured or underinsured women in our service area. Please note that Susan G. Komen for the Cure® is not a direct service provider.

List of Current Community Grant Recipients

River Bend Cancer Services* – "Supportive Services for Breast Cancer Patients in Treatment" - $15,000

Komen funding will be used to increase access to care, through outreach, counseling and education programs, especially supportive services, for minorities, uninsured and underinsured women with breast cancer in St. Joseph County.  In addition, funding will be used for treatment assistance for prescriptions and supplies for minority, uninsured and uninsured, women with breast cancer.  Finally, funding will be used to increase outreach to African American and Hispanic Women in St. Joseph County, Indiana.

Starke Memorial Hospital/LaPorte Hospital Foundation – "Assistance for Comprehensive Diagnostic Testing/Screening Mammograms" - $15,000

On July 1, 2009, La Porte Regional Health System (LRHS) acquired Starke Memorial Hospital (SMH), located in Knox, Indiana. Starke County borders La Porte County. This application seeks funding for identified health needs in the service area of the new health system hospital. The Project provides screening mammograms to low-income, uninsured women forty years of age and older who meet qualifying financial criteria and are a-symptomatic, or women of any age with a family history of breast cancer. Physicians order the screening mammogram using a voucher that indicates payment through the Project. There is a need to assist these same women when the screening mammogram detects an abnormality and the interpreting radiologist recommends further comprehensive diagnostic testing.

LaPorte Hospital* – "Assistance for Comprehensive Diagnostic Testing" - $15,000

The La Porte Hospital Foundation Breast Cancer Detection Project (Project) is an extension of an established comprehensive effort for early detection of breast cancer mainly in La Porte County, by encouraging and educating adult women in early detection practices. The Project provides screening mammograms to low-income, uninsured women forty years of age and older who meet qualifying financial criteria and are a-symptomatic, or women of any age with a family history of breast cancer. Physicians order the screening mammogram using a voucher that indicates payment through the Project. There is a need to assist these same women when the screening mammogram detects an abnormality and the interpreting radiologist recommends further comprehensive diagnostic testing.

Parkview Hospital - Parkview Comprehensive Cancer Center* – "Francine's Friends Mobile Mammography Project-Rural Outreach" - $15,000

The vision of this project is to increase breast cancer screenings in northeast Indiana by providing a highly accessible and visible community resource, a 40-foot motor coach outfitted with the latest digital breast diagnostic equipment.  Moreover, by bringing the mammography coach to the places where women live, work, and worship, they are able to break down many of the traditional barriers that prevent women from receiving this life-saving cancer screening. 

Goals and Objectives: The overarching goals are to increase breast cancer awareness and the number of women who receive a yearly mammogram in Northeast Indiana.

Disability Legal Rights Center – "Breast Cancer Legal Information and Navigation in the Northern Indiana area" - $15,000

The Cancer Legal Resource Center (CLRC), a joint program of the Disability Rights Legal Center and Loyola Law School, is the only dedicated national center for the provision of free information and resources on cancer-related legal issues to cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals.  This program will target underserved communities in Lake, Elkhart, and St. Joseph counties and will help eliminate disparities and increase access to healthcare by: providing educational seminars for people coping with breast cancer in Northern Indiana; conducting an awareness campaign to educate the Northern Indiana breast cancer community about the national CLRC Telephone Assistance Line and other services; and creating educational newsletters with legal information and resources, specific to the Northern Indiana area.

United Cancer Services of Elkhart County – "Journey through Treatment with Breast Cancer" - $15,000

United Cancer's program counsels patients in creating a plan for their time in treatment and distributes direct financial aid, usually helping pay for treatment, supplies & medicine. With the help of the Komen grant, UC will distribute $15,000 in direct financial aid to breast cancer patients and women seeking mammograms, and could provide as much as $30,000 in referral benefit.  Historically, United Cancer helps 7% to 10% of the cancer patients diagnosed in Elkhart County.

Hope in a Handbag Inc.* – "Necessities Bags – Fort Wayne and Northeast Indiana" - $10,000

A program whose primary goal is to provide help to women that are facing breast cancer surgeries or mastectomies and reconstruction surgeries. The program hopes to help 500 women this year. The Necessities Bag includes a reusable canvas tote filled with super-soft bandages, gauze pads, and other wound care essentials, as well as personal hygiene and comfort items, that will help after a woman's surgery and immediate return home. Included in the Necessities Bag is a booklet entitled, Necessities Woman to Woman Guide to Prepare for a Mastectomy. The Necessities Bags are given without charge and they are only distributed by surgeons, nurses, or breast Cancer support networks.

Maple City Health Care Center - "Breast Health for Uninsured Hispanic Women in Elkhart County" - $15,000

This program is intended to increase access to clinical breast screening and mammograms for women in a federally designated Medically Underserved Population. This population contains a high percentage of women who are at rist of breast cancer - specifically uninsured, Spanish-speaking women.

Indiana Women in Need (I.W.I.N.) -"Survivor Support Program" - $15,000

This program exists to provide women with professional services such as meal preparation/groceries, transportation/gas, and childcare while they are receiving treatment for breast cancer.

Memorial Hospital of South Bend -"Restorative Fitness Program" - $15,000

This program is in response to a growing body of research showing exercise plays an important role in a comprehensive breast cancer treatment plan.

United Health Services - "Breast Health Advocacy and Diagnostic Services" - $14,564

This program facilitates access to al diagnostic service related to a woman's breast health issues.  This project: 1) The Breast Health Advocate will provide breast cancer awareness and education 2) Eligible women will receive care management services for breast health issues 3) The required screening or diagnostic services will be provided at no cost to the woman.

Mobile Medical Unit of SJRMC - "Mobile Breast Health" - $15,000

The MMU enables SJRMC to meet the needs of individuals who may not have transportation or access to medical offices or clinics. With the MMU, we can also deliver corporate wellness to the doors of local organizations, providing health education and screenings on-site.