Houston, TX [May 15, 2020] – The Rose has received a gift of $20,000 from longtime community partner H-E-B. The donation will support The Rose’s patient navigation program, a critical support resource for women impacted by breast cancer.
For over 150 uninsured women each year, patient navigators are lifelines to treatment and her constant resource throughout her care. The Rose formalized the first patient navigation program in greater Houston in 1999, employing certified lay patient navigators and nurse navigators. The program, with its unique and comprehensive patient tracking system, has been replicated throughout the nation. But patients don’t care about tracking, or certifications or replications; they only know that the care they receive is like no other.
“From the moment a woman receives her diagnosis, her patient navigator is by her side,” said Dorothy Gibbons, CEO and Co-Founder of The Rose. “Our navigators have answered thousands of questions, and have helped even the youngest child understand what is happening to Mommy. We are beyond thankful for the continuous support of H-E-B to ensure that no woman has to face breast cancer alone.”
H-E-B has been a supporter of The Rose since 2008, contributing a total $134,591 to date through its H-E-B Helping Here initiative.
“The health of our communities is a top priority at H-E-B and we’re thankful we’re able to provide assistance in the amount of $20,000 to The Rose,” said Lisa Helfman, Director of H-E-B Public Affairs. “We know that these are challenging times for everyone especially when diagnosed with cancer, that’s why we support the patient navigator program; because they play a crucial role in the patient’s lives.”
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In 2019 after the natural disaster of Hurricane Harvey, The Rose diagnosed more women in a single year than in the organization’s 33-year history. After temporarily suspending services due to COVID-19, there is a great concern that cases of breast cancer will spike again as a result of the pandemic, unemployment and an increase in uninsured women.
Following local and government mandates requiring that non-essential health services close, over 1,000 appointments were cancelled at The Rose, including over 200 women waiting for diagnostic evaluations and 71 women waiting for biopsies. This means that several women have already been impacted by breast cancer but have not yet been diagnosed. About half are uninsured.
For every month of suspended service, The Rose will lose an estimated $900,000 of insured patient revenue. Making a significant impact on care for uninsured patients because The Rose relies on revenue received from every 3 insured patients to help offset the costs of caring for an uninsured patient. Despite this major setback, The Rose absolutely refuses to turn uninsured patients away.
To schedule a media interview with any member of The Rose, please contact Ivis Batista at 978-885-7306 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.
