Arkansas Cancer Coalition

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COMPETITIVE GRANTS

Fiscal Year 2017 Awarded Grants

CARTI

Program: Transportation Assistance Program

Funding Amount: $48,700.00

Counties Served: Arkansas, Crittenden, Cross, Desha, Jackson, Lafayette, Lee, Mississippi, Ouachita, Phillips, Poinsett, Union, and Woodruff

Total Population: 292,514

Focus Area: Survivorship #9

Grant Period: July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017

Summary of Grant: Low-income cancer patients living in rural areas of the state have a need for transportation assistance in order to offset some of the cost of driving to a treatment facility. Patients in these counties will be evaluated for eligibility for fuel vouchers and fuel cards. Recipients of transportation assistance will be low- income, rural residents, and many will be over the age of 55. The CARTl Counseling and Resource staff works with patients to educate them on the availability of transportation assistance, determines eligibility, and coordinates the distribution of the vouchers and cards. CARTI will provide fuel assistance to approximately 100 residents of the specified counties. CARTI also transports physicians, nurses, small equipment, and medication, including chemotherapy drugs, to clinics in Stuttgart and El Dorado once a week. This allows cancer patients to access high-quality cancer care a little closer to home.

Donald W. Reynolds Cancer Support House

Program: Survivorship for ‘Our’ Community

Funding Amount: $54,660.00

Counties Served: Sebastian, Crawford, Franklin, Johnson, Logan, Scott, Yell, Polk

Total Population: 307,790+

Focus Area: Survivorship #9

Grant Period: July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017

Summary of Grant: The Reynolds Cancer Support House’s Patient Services Program mirrors the ACP Survivorship Goals which are: Reduce the number of cancer deaths in Arkansas. Increase the number of cancer survivors who are living five years longer after diagnosis. And specifically, to, address the needs of cancer survivors and their families to improve survivorship care The Cancer Support House works to identify and eliminate barriers that prevent individuals from getting the right care, at the right time, and by the right person. Whether that involves helping a cancer patient access health insurance, working with physicians and pharmacies to identify less expensive generic drugs, coordinating transportation to treatment, helping a person access information about treatment options, or connecting to a support group, the Cancer Support House helps cancer patients reduce the informational and financial barriers that threaten their chances of receiving the care they need. These services are desperately needed among the primary Arkansas counties served, including: Sebastian, Crawford, Franklin, Johnson, Logan, Scott, Yell, Polk, and beyond. According to the Arkansas Cancer Facts and Figures (2011), all of these counties, with the exception of Johnson County, have cancer death rates for all cancers combined that exceed the statewide mortality rate.

Mercy Health Foundation Fort Smith

Program: Lung Cancer Screening Program

Funding Amount: $38,500.00

Counties Served: Franklin, Johnson, Logan, Polk, Sebastian, and Scott

Total Population: 215,807

Focus Area: Lung Cancer #1

Grant Period: July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017

Summary of Grant: Mercy aims to increase access to low-dose computed tomography (CT) lung screening by decreasing a cost barrier so that lung cancer may be identified earlier and when coupled with appropriate treatment, decrease the number of deaths from lung cancer. Mercy proposes to offer no-charge screenings and navigation to advanced diagnostics to patients who are: 1) high risk, meeting CMS criteria (current smokes and former smokers who have quit in the last 15 years, aged 55-74, asymptomatic and who have at least a 30 pack year history of tobacco abuse); 2) have no insurance coverage; 3) fall below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level Guidelines; 4) residents of Arkansas; and 5) have a provider’s order for CT lung screening, Mercy will create awareness regarding this program via soft advertising, such as flyers and digital billboards throughout the service area and through physician communications to recruit qualified patients to take advantage of the no cost screenings.

Mississippi County, Arkansas Economic Opportunity Commission

Program: Project: Cancer Aware

Funding Amount: $41,153.00

Counties Served: Mississippi

Total Population: 45,385

ACP Focus Area: Colorectal Cancer #2; Breast Cancer #3; and Prostate Cancer #4

Grant Period: July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017

Summary of Grant: Project: Cancer Aware focuses on breast, prostate and colorectal cancer in low and moderate income residents of Mississippi County, with a particular concern for African Americans and Hispanics. The project is designed to (1) increase awareness of the risks of cancer and knowledge of ways to reduce those risks, (2) promote increased utilization of recommended screening and early detection services, and (3) assist patients to access high quality treatment services by helping to maintain a pool of volunteer patient navigators. Prevention and screening promotion activities occur at community sites throughout the year and through church-based health promotion committees. Program staff consists of a half-time project coordinator and a part-time activity coordinator who is primarily responsible for working with the faith-based health promotion committees and navigators.

St. Bernard’s Development Foundation

Program: Say Yes Ma’am to Breast Health Services

Funding Amount: $51,426.00

Counties Served: Clay, Craighead, Crittenden, Cross, Fulton, Greene, Independence, Jackson, Lawrence, Lee, Mississippi, Monroe, Phillips, Poinsett, Randolph, Sharp, St. Francis, and Woodruff

Total Population: 489,836

ACP Focus Area: Breast Cancer #3 and Survivorship #9

Grant Period: July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017

Summary of Grant: Say Yes Ma’am to Breast Health Services provides access to education and screening mammograms in the 18 county service area of the St. Bernard’s Mobile Mammography Unit in Northeast Arkansas; five have no fixed mammography services and 10 are designated as “Red Counties” by the Arkansas Department of Health’s 2014 Red County Life Expectancy Profile. St. Bernard’s Mobile Mammography Unit will travel nearly 10,000 miles in 2016 to ensure women in these rural areas are served. Free screening mammograms will be provided to 110 uninsured/underinsured women and 55 clinical breast exams, to align with the Arkansas Cancer Plan Goal to reduce deaths from female breast cancer in Arkansas. Breast Services, including screening mammograms and breast health education from Komen Foundation, will be provided to all women onboard the Mobile Mammography Unit. The Mobile Mammography Coordinator travels to screening events to provide breast education and Breast Self-Awareness classes, assists industrial sites with breast cancer screening and awareness for their employees and collaborates with BreastCare to navigate underserved women for screening mammograms at Mass Flu Clinics held at Local Health Units. St. Bernard’s Mobile Mammography Unit will remain operational to reduce barriers between underserved women and early detection of breast cancer.

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Program: Training Cosmetology Students in Arkansas to Help Dermatologists Prevent Skin Cancer and Detect Melanomas Earlier

Funding Amount: $55,000.00

Counties Served: Statewide

ACP Focus Area: Skin Cancer #6

Grant Period: July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017

Summary of Grant: The number of skin cancer cases diagnosed in the State of Arkansas is increasing; nevertheless, data suggest that primary care physicians infrequently screen their patients to detect skin cancer in the primary care setting. Cosmetologists, by nature of the job, routinely look at areas of the skin where many melanomas occur during their clients’ visits. Yet, cosmetologists rarely receive formal skin cancer education. One of the important goals of the ACP is to reduce deaths from melanoma in Arkansas. Therefore, UAMS plans to implement an online video training program in our target population of 250 cosmetology students in Arkansas to A) collect data on their sun exposures, B) increase their knowledge and awareness of skin cancer, C) reduce the use of tanning beds among cosmetology students; D) increase students who follow measures to reduce skin cancer; and E) increase educational opportunities for cosmetology students in Arkansas to help dermatologists diagnose skin cancers including melanomas earlier. The proposed program has the potential to have great public health impact because the prospective trained cosmetologists can serve as eyes in the field and skin cancer advocates so that melanomas can be prevented or diagnosed earlier to reduce melanoma deaths in Arkansas.

White River Health Systems, Inc.

Program: Get Your Mammogram

Funding Amount: $49,368.00

Counties Served: Randolph, Sharp, Izard and Lawrence

ACP Focus Area: Breast Cancer #3

Grant Period: July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017

Summary of Grant: The GYM project will target women 40 and older living in Sharp County and other bordering communities. Programs and services of this grant fall within three categories: Education and Screening, Diagnostic Care and Support. Education and Screening: Free breast health education and clinical breast exams will take place at breast health events provided by physicians at the WRMC Medical Complex in Cherokee Village. The Breast Health Events will take place after normal business hours to allow working women the opportunity to attend. Utilizing direct mail, newspapers, radio and print ads, the GYM program will disseminate breast health education and promote free clinics throughout Sharp County and bordering counties. An estimated 1,000 women 40 and older will be reached through direct mail. The project coordinator will send reminder letters to 100% of the participants the following year to remind them to “Get Your Mammogram” if any participants receive a referral for further diagnostic screening. Diagnostic Care: Grant funding will provide digital mammography screening equipment at the WRMC Medical Complex. A new support group for breast cancer survivors and their caregivers will be launched.

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