$1.5 Million WellPoint Foundation Grant Supports American Cancer Society’s Work to Reduce Cancer Screening Disparities
ATLANTA, Feb. 13, 2014 /3BL Media/ – The American Cancer Society will be able to provide more individuals in underserved communities with access to life-saving cancer screenings and community-based cancer education, thanks to a $1.5 million grant from the WellPoint Foundation. The funds will be distributed as grants to local community organizations and health centers in 14 states working to advance the American Cancer Society’s priority efforts to increase awareness, education, and screening for breast, cervical and colorectal cancers.
Through the 14 grants, community health system partners within underserved areas will work to reduce the cancer burden and provide access to education and screening resources that assist individuals in preventing cancer and finding cancer early.
“We at the American Cancer Society know that to finish the fight against cancer, we must increase cancer education and screening in underserved communities,” said John R. Seffrin, Ph.D., chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society. “Donations from corporate partners like the WellPoint Foundation will enable us to expand our reach into communities with a disproportionate cancer burden, provide services to encourage cancer prevention, early detection and early treatment, and ultimately, save more lives.”
The American Cancer Society collaborates with community health partners to reach individuals in areas with higher burdens of cancer and limited access to cancer screening. Through the Community Health Advocates implementing Nationwide Grants for Empowerment and Equity (CHANGE) program, the Society provides grant opportunities to increase breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening rates in those communities. Since 2011, CHANGE has implemented and sustained approximately 100 grant-funded projects within underserved communities across the country; educating over 328,000 people about cancer risk and prevention, and providing over 123,000 cancer screenings.
