For the eighth year in a row, Flagstaff Medical Center’s Therapy Services Department has received a grant from the Phoenix Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The $47,400 grant will provide treatment to those who suffer with lymphedema, a painful side effect of breast cancer treatment.
Additionally, grant funds will be used to provide massages for people undergoing treatment for breast cancer, and those who live in remote areas can receive help with gas and lodging so they can attend their treatment sessions.
Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women, affecting one out of every eight women. Lymphedema, a side effect of some of the treatments, occurs in approximately 20 percent of breast cancer survivors. Symptoms include swelling, loss of motion and/or pain, in the arms or chest. Although lymphedema is not curable, treatment by physical and occupational therapists can help improve symptoms.
Recent studies show that people with severe illnesses, such as cancer, benefit from massage therapy resulting in decreased pain and improved feelings of well-being which helps them gain the best benefit from their cancer treatment.
The Phoenix Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure serves Central and Northern Arizona, and has a volunteer base of more than 1,500. Since 1993, the Phoenix Affiliate has granted more than $16 million to breast cancer treatment, including the treatment of lymphedema, education, prevention and outreach programs in addition to breast cancer research.
FMC’s Therapy Services Department is devoted to helping patients maximize their quality of live through treatment options, education and support.
For more information about the grant or how to access the funds, call Lori Pearlmutter, FMC Therapy Services director, at 928 214-3519. For more information on programs and services offered through FMC’s Therapy Services, visit FlagstaffMedicalCenter.com.
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Komen Phoenix Awards $2.2 Million in Grants for Community Education, Screening, Treatment and National Research; Surpasses $20 Million Funded
Phoenix) Nearly 30 years ago, Nancy G. Brinker made a promise to her sister Suzy that she would do everything in her power to put an end to breast cancer. This month, the Phoenix Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure® will award more than $2 million in grants to help make that promise a reality.
On Thursday, April 14, at the 16th Annual “Delivering the Promise” Luncheon, the Komen Phoenix Affiliate announced more than $2.2 million to fund breast cancer screening, education, treatment and research. More than $1.7 million will fund 19 community grants throughout central and northern Arizona, while more than $540,000 will go toward national research efforts. Since its inception in 1993, the Komen Phoenix Affiliate has granted more than $20 million – making it the largest private grantor of breast cancer funds in Arizona.
The community grants program allows the Komen Phoenix Affiliate to carry out its mission of saving lives and ending breast cancer forever by partnering with nonprofit organizations throughout medically underserved communities. Seventy-five percent of net proceeds generated by the Affiliate’s annual Race for the Cure and other programs stay within the service area of central and northern Arizona. The remaining 25 percent funds the national Susan G. Komen for the Cure breast cancer research program.
“Part of delivering our promise is working day to day with our community partners to ensure that the women in our community do not go without vital screening and treatment services while we navigate the changing healthcare landscape, both locally and nationwide,” says Mary Dokes, Mission Manager for the Komen Phoenix Affiliate. “Collaboration is key to reaching our goal, and we’re fortunate to work with so many organizations whose missions align with ours.”
The Komen Phoenix Affiliate’s annual community grants program awards funds to non-profit organizations that provide innovative, non-duplicative breast health and breast cancer services directly to the medically underserved, uninsured or underinsured. The services must be provided within the Phoenix Affiliate’s service area, which includes Apache, Coconino, Gila, La Paz, Maricopa, Mohave, Navajo, Pinal and Yavapai counties. A complete list of the 2011-2012 grant recipients is below.
The Affiliate’s primary fundraiser is its annual Komen Phoenix Race for the Cure®, which is held each October and is the largest 5k event in Arizona. The 2010 event drew more than 30,000 participants and raised $2 million. The 19th annual Race will be held on Sunday, Oct. 9 in the State Capitol District in Phoenix. For more information, please visit www.komenphoenix.org.
Along with FMC, other 2011-2012 Komen Phoenix Community grant Recipients in Northern Arizona include:
North Country HealthCare
Navajo Nation Division of Health
Yavapai County Community Health Services
Yavapai Regional Medical Center
