Promotoras For Breast Cancer Prevention Education, Surgery and Treatment (Komen)

Since 1996 to 2018, CCDC received funding support from the Susan G. Komen Foundation to implement the Promotoras for Breast Cancer Prevention Education, Surgery and Treatment program, creating a continuum of cancer care that spans primary prevention (education and outreach), secondary prevention (screening and diagnostic services), and tertiary prevention (treatment and follow-up services) for uninsured, and low-income women in El Paso. The Komen funds allowed us to increase outreach and education, and fill the gaps identified in the breast cancer control continuum. These gaps include access to screening services for uninsured women ineligible through the BCCS program (e.g. women ages 40 through 64,). This program also helped us filled gaps in diagnostic services for women with abnormal results, and case management services for women diagnosed with breast cancer to facilitate timely access to treatment and post-treatment follow-up care. Promotoras were responsible to identify and enroll eligible women through systematic recruitment in El Paso County. Women in need were navigated to services, and for low income women who were not eligible for services through BCCS, the project provided free screening and diagnostic services. Thus, Komen funding through this project was used to provide access to services for women who would otherwise remained unscreened, thereby providing an additional “safety net” layer.

Outcome: From 1996 to 2018 a total of 32,400 women received multiple services through this program as follows:

1. Education: 1-hour promotora delivered-cancer prevention education, resource lists, navigation to screening, and educational materials. A total of 225 local transportation to treatment and doctor’s appointments.
2. Screening: Patient navigation services to 1,350 women in need of 925 screening and diagnostic mammograms, and 425 ultrasounds.
3. Surgery: Case management services provided to 635 women in need of 260 biopsies, 150 lumpectomies, and 225 mastectomies.
4. Follow-up: 120 women received lymphedema therapy and 1,605 office consultations with specialists.
5. Treatment: Case management services to 145 women in need of 85 chemotherapy and 60 radiation treatment services.

Thanks to this program hundreds of women were able to receive timely diagnosis and access to breast cancer care.