Susan G. Komen for the Cure, National and State Legislators and OhioHealth Call for...

Susan G. Komen for the Cure, National and State Legislators and OhioHealth
Call for Action to Reduce Disparities in Breast Cancer Survival
Komen Ohio Affiliates Join Nationwide Campaign to Close the Gaps that Make
Breast Cancer Deadlier for Low-Income Women and Women of Color

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Jan. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, breast cancer activists and
survivors from the four Ohio Affiliates of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, key
legislators and health officials called for stronger policies to address the
gaps in breast cancer care that cause some women to die of the disease more
than others.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070122/NYM084LOGO)
At a tour of OhioHealth Riverside Breast Health Center and a community
forum at the Ohio Statehouse, Congressman Pat Tiberi (R-12), Ohio Senator Tom
Niehaus (R-14) and Ohio Representative Joyce Beatty (D-27) voiced support for
closing the gaps that cause breast cancer to be deadlier for low-income women,
minorities and the uninsured. Ohio is ranked 4th in the nation in breast
cancer mortality. This year, more than 6,700 Ohio women will be diagnosed with
breast cancer and more than 1,800 women will die.
Komen presented awards to Senator Niehaus and Representative Beatty for
their leadership in passing a $5 million appropriation for Ohio Breast and
Cervical Cancer Early Detection Project. It is estimated that this first-ever
State appropriation will increase the number of women screened from 10,000 to
18,000 per year.
"Ohio has been hard hit by breast cancer. Unfortunately, low-income and
minority women have been hit the hardest," said Miguel Perez, president of the
Columbus Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. "We are energized by the
progress Ohio is making with leadership from Senator Niehaus and
Representative Beatty. Now we must continue, together, to strengthen our
efforts to close the gaps in research, policy and access to quality care that
make breast cancer deadlier for some women."
Today's events marked the 19th stop of the Komen Community Challenge, a
nationwide campaign to elevate breast cancer on the national agenda and draw
attention to disparities in breast cancer mortality. Many Americans -- racial
and ethnic minorities, low-income women and those with little or no health
insurance -- are less likely to receive quality cancer care and are more
likely to die from the disease.
In the United States, a woman has about a 13 percent risk -- or one in
eight -- of developing breast cancer in her lifetime. Low-income and uninsured
women are more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer, which is
partly why their survival rates are much lower.
"Early detection of breast cancer is key to survival, and we need to do
more for low-income and uninsured women who don't have access to care," said
Perez. "We need more breast care navigators who can help women make sense of
the health care system. We need more funding for cancer research. Most of all,
we need to move beyond talk and into action."
Susan G. Komen for the Cure has four Ohio Affiliates that serve the
Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus and Toledo areas.
About Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do
everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In 1982, that promise
became Susan G. Komen for the Cure and launched the global breast cancer
movement. Today, Komen for the Cure is the world's largest grassroots network
of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to save lives, empower
people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures.
Thanks to events like the Komen Race for the Cure, we have invested nearly
$1 billion to fulfill our promise, becoming the largest source of nonprofit
funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world. For more
information about Susan G. Komen for the Cure, breast health or breast cancer,
visit http://www.komen.org or call 1-877 GO KOMEN.
SOURCE Susan G. Komen for the Cure

Kathy Berta of M+R Strategic Services, +1-216-533-2211, kberta@mrss.com, for
Susan G. Komen for the Cure; or Katie Carter of Komen Columbus Affiliate,
+1-614-297-8155, katiecarter@komencolumbus.org