Health care center wins grant for breast cancer services

Health care center wins grant for breast cancer services

Susan G. Komen Michigan covers the west, southwest and central parts of the state. Photo via fb.com

A nonprofit health care center has won a grant from the local arm of a national breast cancer organization.

Catherine’s Health Center in Grand Rapids said last month that it has received $21,970 from Susan G. Komen Michigan to fund the center’s Count Me In program.

The funding will help ensure women in West Michigan, especially those at higher risk, receive breast health education, screening and diagnostic services.

“This grant helps us open the door for women who face challenges getting the screening and diagnostic services that are vitally important in the early detection effort,” said Karen Kaashoek, executive director, Catherine’s Health Center. “That critical first step will be life-changing for hundreds of people here in West Michigan. We deeply value the support from Susan G. Komen Michigan that helps make this effort possible.”

The grant

Count Me In is one of 15 programs Susan G. Komen Michigan is funding as part of its 2016-17 grant programs.

Those programs cover the breast cancer continuum of care, including breast health education, screening, diagnostic services and survivorship care.

Count Me In program

Catherine’s Health Center’s Count Me In program provides breast cancer services to women who are uninsured, underinsured, have high deductibles or fall into gaps in the Affordable Care Act mandate and Breast and Cervical Cancer Control and Navigation Programs.

The program was created with the primary goal of increasing the number of high-risk women who receive regular breast awareness education and a secondary goal of ensuring that women with abnormal results are able to receive the services they need.