Winship Working to Reduce Breast Cancer Disparities in Georgia: Bringing Better Care Into the Community

11/07/2016, Winship Magazine

Black women diagnosed with breast cancer in Georgia are 29 to 32 percent more likely to die from this disease than white women diagnosed with breast cancer in Georgia. This disparity can be attributed to some biological factors, such as black women being diagnosed with more aggressive subtypes of breast cancer, but access to screening and quality care may play a role. Under the direction of Winship’s Sheryl Gabram Mendola, surgeon-in-chief at Grady Memorial Hospital, a partnership between the Glenn Family Breast Center at Winship and the Avon Foundation Comprehensive Breast Center was formed at Grady to provide better breast health services to women in underserved communities served by Grady. The Avon Breast Center has a multidisciplinary program offering clinical and support services, including screening, diagnoses, treatment, genetic counseling, patient navigation, and laboratory services. Through this initiative, the Avon Breast Center has been able to detect more early stage breast cancers, reduce the number of women with latestage diagnoses, and improve access to screening services in this community. 

 

To read the original article and the rest of the Fall 2016 Winship Magazine, click here.