The Ellie Fund and the Dimock Center work together to provide support services to breast cancer patients

♪ SHAYNA: THE ELLIE FDUN HAS PROVIDED SUPPORT FOR PATIENTS WITH CANRCE SINCE 1993. RECENTLY, THE NONPROFIT RECOGNIZED A NEED TO CONNECT WITH PATIENTS OTHER THAN THOSE REFERRED BY LARGE HOSPITALS. >> TYPICALLY, UNDERSERVED MEN AND WOMEN DIAGNOSED AT A COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER OR MAYBE THEY FOUND ALONG AND THEY WERE TO O AFRAID TO TELL ANYBODY. WE HAVE PATIENTS THAT ARE CHOOSING BETWEEN FOOD AND TREATMENT OR CHOOSING NOT TO TREAATT ALL BECAUSE IT IS TOO HARD TO GET THERE. THE ELLIE FUND — SHAYNA: THE ELLIE FDUN BEGAN WORKING IN ROXBURY. THIS URBAN HEALTH HAS CARED FOR THE PEOPLE OF BOSTON AND PROVIDES MORE THAN 19,000 PEOPLE WI MTHEDICALAR CE EVERY YEAR. DR. CHARSLE ANDERSON IS THE PRESIDENT AND CEO. >> FLY BLSAL IS THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE 51% OF MY BOARD — MY BOSS IS THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE 51% OFY M BOARD COMES FROM THE COMMUNITY. PRIMARY CARE, PEDIATRICS, THAT IS PART OF OUR MISSION TO MAKE SURE WE ARE PROVIDINGHE T TYPES OF SERVICES THAT THE COMMUNITY REQUIRES. SHAYNA: TREHE HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT ADVANCES IN BREAST CANCER RESEARCH BUT THERE ARE STLIL GAPS WHEN IT COMES TO EQUITABLE PATHWAYS FOR TREATMENT FOR WOMEN OF COLOR. >> NOBODY DECIDES THAT THEY DO NOT WANT TO BE SCREENED. NOBODY DECIDES THAT THEY DO NOT WANT PREVENTATIVE MEASURES. BUT ENWH YOU HAVE SO MANY OTHER THINGS THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO JUGGLE WHICH HAVE SO MUCH MORE IMMEDIACY, IT IS HARDER FOR THEM TO TAKE THE SAME PRIORITY. SHAY:NA BREAST CANCER IS THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF CANCER DEATH IN AMERICAN WOM.EN BUT BLACK WOMEN ARE 40% MORE LIKELY TO DIE OMFR BREAST CANCER THAN WHITE WOMEN. >> WE TREAT AT LEAST 2000 NEW BREAST CANCER PATIENTS A YEAR. SHAY:NA DR. VERILY SAYS BLACK WOMEN IN BOSTON ARE NOT GETTING ANNUAL SCREENINGS BUT ONCE DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER, SOME FACE BARRIERS TO QUALIT CYARE. >> IT COULD BE THE FINANCIAL BURDENS OF DEALING WITH A CANCER DIAGNOSIS, MISSED WORK, YOU MIGHT HAVE CHILDREN. THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPETING ISSUES WHEN YOU ARE A WOMAN AND YOU ARE DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER AND A DIAGNOSIS IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON REANSSO PEOPLE GO INTO BANKRUPTCY IN THE UNITED STATES. IF YOU ARE IN THE UNITED STATES AND YOU ARE BLACK AND DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER, YOU HAVE ALMOST TWICE THE RISK OF DYING COMPARED TO IF YOU WERE WHITE. >> WE HAVE A MORAL OBLIGATION TO MAKING SURE EVERYONE HAS A SIMILAR OPPORTUNITY TO A HEALTH AND WAS OUTCOME. . NO REASON WHY IS BECAUSE OF THE CIRCUMSTANSCE THAT THEIR ABILITY TO LIVE A LONG LIFE IS SO DIFFERENT. SHAYNA: FORR. D ANDERSON, UNDERSTANDING WHERE A PERSON IS FROM AND WHAT THEY EAR GOING THROUGH IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF PRACTICING MEDICINE. >> WE JUST HAVE TO TEACH PROVIDERS AND ANYONE INVOLVED IN HEALTHCARE TO BE BETTER LISTENERS. THAT IS WHAT COMPASSION IS ABOUT WHICISH THE CORNERSTONE OF HEALTHCARE. SHAYNA:HE T CENTER IS ALREADY WORKING TOWARD MAKING THEIR PATIENTS FEEL AT EASE. >> SEEING PROVIDERS THAT LOOK LIKE YOU, LOOK LIKE OUR COMMUNITY IS REALLY IMPORTANT. NOT JUST DOCTORS. FRONT DESK STAFF. THERE ARE PEOPLE COMING IN FOR SERVICES AND THEY ARE SEEING A NEIGHBOR AND THAT IS A CRITICAL PART OF WHO WE ARE. SHAYNA: HELPING OTHERRE BAST CANCER PATIENTS FEEL AT EASE IS PART OF NEKIA’S MISSNIO AT THE ELLIE FUND. AFTER ALL, SHE IS A SURVIVOR HERSELF. >> IF THEY HAVE SOMEONE WHO LOOKS LIKE THEM WHO SAYS, I WILL GO WITH YOU, I HAVE PEOPLE WHO CAN HELP YOU, THEY WILL BE MORE WILLING TO GET THAT EXAMINATION, GETHT AT MAMMOGRAM, SPEAK TO THEIR DOCTOR. SHAYNA: A RIDE TO TREATMENT, CHILDCARE, GROCERY GIFT CARDS. >> IT ISOT N RIGHT TO ASK A PATIENT TO TAKE THREE BUSES AND A TRAIN TICKET TO RADIATION FOR 18 TO0 3RADIATION TREATMENTS AND THAT IS THE SITUATION THEY ARE FACI.NG WE WORK WITH A LOT OF WOMEN WHO HAVE SCHL-OOAGEDHILD CREN AND WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE WE ARE ABLE TO SUPPORT UP TO 50% OF CHILD CARE COSTS. >> THE ELLIE FUND HAS BEEN A REALLY HUGE PARTNER IN MAKING SURE WE ARE GETTING PEOPLE ACCESS TO THAT TYPE OF CARE AND NAVIGATION WHICH IS REALLY A CRITALIC PART. ANTHONY: ALL THE DOCTORS WE SPOKE WITH SAID THAT LANGUAGE BARRIERS REMAIN A MARJO HURDLE TO ACCESS TO MEDICAL CARE. ERIKA: THOSE ARE BARRIERS THAT ARE WORKING TO BREAK DO

The Ellie Fund and the Dimock Center work together to provide support services to breast cancer patients

Black women are 42% more likely to die from breast cancer than white women

Updated: 8:07 PM EDT Mar 25, 2022

Each year, about 255,000 women and 200,000 men are diagnosed with breast cancer. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime.The Ellie Fund is a nonprofit that supports patients undergoing treatment for breast cancer. With an army of volunteers, the Ellie Fund provides a litany of services to breast cancer patients. They often help patients with a ride to treatment, child care, grocery store gift cards, prepared meal deliveries, and housekeeping services. The Ellie Fund has provided support services to patients with cancer since 1993. Recently, however, the nonprofit recognized a need to connect with patients other than those referred by large hospitals. Working directly with community health centers, the Ellie Fund hopes to reach more women and provide equitable access to treatment. One of the community health centers the Ellie Fund works with is the Dimock Center in Roxbury. For 160 years, this urban health hub has cared for the people of Boston, and provides more than 19,000 people with medical care every year. There have been significant advances in breast cancer research in recent years but there are still gaps when it comes to equitable pathways to treatment for women of color.Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American women, but Black women are 40% more likely to die of breast cancer than white women. For Black women, there were already alarming breast cancer disparities before the COVID-19 pandemic. Adding to the concern, breast cancer rates overall are expected to increase by about 1 to 2% due to delayed screening. According to one study, U.S. insurance claims saw a greater than 80% drop in weekly mammography claims in April of 2020. Dr. Beverly Moy, Clinical Director of the Breast Oncology Program at Massachusetts General Hospital encourages everyone to get screened.Find out how to get screened for breast cancer here.

NEEDHAM, Mass. —

Each year, about 255,000 women and 200,000 men are diagnosed with breast cancer. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime.

The Ellie Fund is a nonprofit that supports patients undergoing treatment for breast cancer. With an army of volunteers, the Ellie Fund provides a litany of services to breast cancer patients. They often help patients with a ride to treatment, child care, grocery store gift cards, prepared meal deliveries, and housekeeping services.

The Ellie Fund has provided support services to patients with cancer since 1993. Recently, however, the nonprofit recognized a need to connect with patients other than those referred by large hospitals. Working directly with community health centers, the Ellie Fund hopes to reach more women and provide equitable access to treatment.

One of the community health centers the Ellie Fund works with is the Dimock Center in Roxbury. For 160 years, this urban health hub has cared for the people of Boston, and provides more than 19,000 people with medical care every year.

There have been significant advances in breast cancer research in recent years but there are still gaps when it comes to equitable pathways to treatment for women of color.

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American women, but Black women are 40% more likely to die of breast cancer than white women.

For Black women, there were already alarming breast cancer disparities before the COVID-19 pandemic. Adding to the concern, breast cancer rates overall are expected to increase by about 1 to 2% due to delayed screening. According to one study, U.S. insurance claims saw a greater than 80% drop in weekly mammography claims in April of 2020. Dr. Beverly Moy, Clinical Director of the Breast Oncology Program at Massachusetts General Hospital encourages everyone to get screened.

Find out how to get screened for breast cancer here.