2010 BCFI Grant Awardees

1. ENCOREplus Program - $46,008
ENCOREplus is now in its 14th year as the largest and most significant local outreach program for screening services and early detection education.  The YWCA’s ENCOREplus has referred thousands of women to screening services and has provided thousands more with important breast health information. The program provides a state-wide hotline and their priority population is the medically underserved, low-income, uninsured or underinsured women, with emphasis on minority and older women. The program has touched over 11,000 individuals.  Additional support is provided by the Avon Foundation, the Alaska Run for Women and Waterfall.

2. Affinity Films - $30,000
The film “Between Us” has educated and comforted thousands of individuals newly diagnosed with breast cancer for over ten years.  This grant provides funding to complete production of a new comprehensive DVD for Alaskans.

3. Pink Ribbon Charities, Inc. - $8,400 
Pink Ribbon Charities assembles and distributes “comfort bags” to newly diagnosed breast cancer patients.  This year they will assemble 400 bags for distribution in medical offices statewide.  The newly redesigned bags replace both the “chemo bags” previously distributed by Pink Ribbon Charities and the “Between Us” kits distributed by Affinity Films.

4. Anchorage Literacy Program - $13,560
This program will be used to develop curriculum for a health literacy course, teach the course and conduct at least one breast care workshop.  The program targets medically underserved women in Anchorage’s low-literacy population.  Additional funding and in-kind support is provided by the YWCA, Providence Imaging, Providence Cancer Center, UAA and the National Cancer Institute’s cancer information service.

5. YWCA “Lend a Helping Hand” - $30,000
This program will be part of the national Lend a Helping Hand program that originated in New York.  The program provides customized services to patients undergoing treatment for breast and gynecological cancers, e.g. transportation, house cleaning, meal preparation, lawn care, etc.  Needs based eligibility either through self referral or physician referral.

6. AK Denali Oncology Nurses Society – with PRD Charities - $30,000
This program provides immediate financial relief for patients of any cancer identified by one of the participating oncology nurses as in immediate need.  There are no names recorded and there is no financial process required.  PRD Charities provides the management of the program purchasing and distributing gift cards to numerous oncology offices whose nurses are able to recognize and respond to immediate short-term financial need of the patients under their care.

7. Katchemak Bay Family Planning Clinic - $23,630
This grant will be used to establish a door-to-door outreach program to identify barriers, increase awareness and recruit income-eligible medically underserved women for free screening.  The program will target specific populations according to need and will utilize “peer advocates.”

8. Alaska Cancer Care Alliance - $10,156
A new organization formed by local oncologists at AK Regional Hospital to align patients, providers, agencies and programs and to assist in finding resources.. Funding is provided for Navigation Kits, New Norm Leadership program compensation and materials and webinar support.

9.  Breast Cancer Detection Center - $10,000
BCDC is the first mammography center in Interior Alaska and serves Fairbanks and surrounding communities as well as bush communities.  Mammograms are provided regardless of ability to pay through "mammo-assistance" program.  BCDC also offers education, awareness and support to survivors. This grant will fund mammograms in bush communities.