San Diego County CA— The Avon Breast Health Outreach Program has awarded a $50,000, one-year grant to Vista Community Clinic (VCC) to increase awareness of the life-saving benefits of early detection of breast cancer, and to provide patient navigation and support services.
It is the 17th year that VCC’s Breast Health Program has received funding from the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade to support its work on this important health issue, and in recognition of the program’s excellence.
The Breast Health Program at VCC will educate the women of San Diego North County, and refer them to low-cost or free clinical breast exams and mammograms. The vital program will also provide patient navigation and support services to women diagnosed with breast cancer.
The Avon Breast Health Outreach Program selected VCC as one of 56 new grant recipients nationwide in the 2017 cycle of grants. The organizations were chosen based on their ability to effectively reach women, particularly minority, low-income, and older women, who are often medically underserved.
Since January 2000, the Breast Health Program at VCC has reached more than 64,000 women with information about the importance of early detection of breast cancer and has referred 25, 207 women for mammograms and clinical breast exams.
Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society, 27,980 new cases of breast cancer will be detected in California this year and more than 4,000 lives will be lost. While advances have been made in prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure, early detection still affords the best opportunity for successful treatment. Community-based programs, such as the one provided by VCC, help ensure that all women have access to early detection information and options, even poor and medically underserved women.
“We are proud that the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade shares our mission and has chosen to support our program,” said VCC Chief Executive Officer Fernando Sañudo, “With these funds we will be able to provide breast education, screening, patient navigation and support services to thousands of low-income women in San Diego North County. Funds from the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade will enable us to eliminate barriers to screening and treatment that many of these women face.”
Since 1993, the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade has awarded more than 1,800 grants to breast health programs across the United States to support breast cancer research and access to care. Beneficiaries range from leading cancer centers to community-based, grassroots breast health programs such as VCC that are dedicated to educating underserved women about breast cancer and linking them to early detection screening services. Visit www.avonbhop.org for more information.
For more information on the Breast Health Program at VCC, please call Natasha Riley at (760) 631-5000 x 7167.
About Vista Community Clinic
With seven locations in San Diego, Orange and Riverside counties, VCC provides affordable, high quality health care to more than 60,000 patients each year. Services offered by VCC include primary care, pediatrics, prenatal and women’s health, optometry, dental care, chiropractic and behavioral health services. VCC also offers a wide array of innovative health education programs for all community residents. VCC is recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as a Level 3 (highest) Patient-Centered Medical Home. For more information, please call (760) 631-5000 or visit www.vistacommunityclinic.org.