When Maria found a lump in her breast, her first concern was her family and how would they manage without her. She was uninsured and did not have the resources for an exam. A friend referred her to The Rose, where she received a complete diagnostic workup. All of her medical services, including a diagnostic mammogram, ultrasound, biopsy and physician examination, were made possible by a Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) grant, services that she could not afford but services that were too critical to delay.
Once diagnosed, other programs at The Rose moved her into treatment. At 42 years old with stage 2 ductal carcinoma, her prognosis is excellent.
Maria was one of 4,109 women, from 34 Texas counties, who The Rose served from Sept. 2015 to Aug. 2017 through a previous CPRIT grant funding The Rose’s Empower Her® Sponsorship Program.
“Breast cancer doesn’t discriminate, whether a woman is 42 or 82, insured or uninsured, she deserves access to annual screening which in turn means early detection and longer survival,” said Dorothy Gibbons, CEO and Co-Founder of The Rose. “Unfortunately, 68 percent of uninsured women do not receive regular breast health screenings, which results in late stage cancer and a higher mortality rate.”
Recently, The Rose was awarded an additional $1.3 million by CPRIT to extend breast cancer screening services from 34 to 38 Texas counties. The grant also enables The Rose to serve 2,767 underserved women who would otherwise delay or skip their breast cancer screening because of barriers such as distance and finances.
“Women in rural Texas counties have greater access-to-care barriers and are more likely to have breast cancer diagnosed at a late stage, which in some cases is fatal. Since 2010, CPRIT grants have made it possible to serve women in outlying counties through our Mobile Mammography Program. Over these past seven years, hundreds of lives have been saved,” Gibbons said.
The Rose recently added a Mobile Mammography Health Coach to its mobile fleet to meet the increased demand for screening services and provide state-of-the-art 3D mammography imaging. The Coach is equipped with a separate medical examination suite where collaborating partners provide other vital health screenings. The 40 ft. self-contained Coach is ideal for businesses, school districts, civic centers, community clinics and physician offices. It offers convenience and quality breast health services.
For more information, or to donate or volunteer, please visit www.therose.org.
To schedule a media interview with any member of our board, please contact Lis Harper at 281-846-5976 or email [email protected]. For more information, or to donate or volunteer, please visit www.therose.org.
About The Rose
Since 1986, The Rose has provided high quality breast healthcare to all women, regardless of their ability to pay. Its mission is to save lives through quality breast health services, advocacy and access to care for all. As a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence, The Rose is led by Fellowship trained physicians and offers advanced digital technology including 3-D tomosynthesis mammography, diagnostic workups, biopsies and its nationally recognized Patient Navigation Program ensures access to treatment and a continuum of care for all women. As a major part of Southeast Texas’ Healthcare Safety Net, The Rose is a strong advocate for quality breast healthcare and access to care. The Rose provides direct medical services to 40,000 insured and uninsured patients annually. Two Houston-based comprehensive Diagnostic Centers and Mobile Mammography Coaches provide services to women throughout 43 counties in Southeast Texas.
