Brazoria County, TX [September 17, 2020] – For the fifth consecutive year, the United Way of Brazoria County (UWBC) has renewed its commitment and has awarded The Rose $69,978.88 for 2021, which will provide additional life-saving services to patients in Brazoria County. This grant will cover approximately 240 procedures to the uninsured women of Brazoria County and provide patients with access to care and treatment via the Strengthening the Brazoria County Safety-Net (SBCSN) Program. UWBC’s gift will also support the nonprofit’s community engagement efforts to reach thousands of insured women in Brazoria County who aren’t able to receive care due to barriers like distance and time-off work.
In addition, “This grant will allow us to continue to deploy our Community Engagement Navigator and longtime resident of Clute, Candice Saxton, who has been in her education and navigation role for three and a half years,” says Dorothy Gibbons, CEO and Co-Founder of The Rose. “She has been instrumental in significantly increasing awareness of The Rose and doubled the number of women we serve in this community. She has made all the difference for women needing care in Brazoria County.”
Saxton guides women through their initial mammogram appointments and if needed, through breast cancer treatment. She promotes the importance of early breast cancer screenings, the availability of UWBC-sponsored care for medically underserved women, arranges dates for Mobile Day events, engages in the community through health fairs and expos, and hand-delivers fliers to businesses and partners in the area. Last fiscal year, her efforts helped The Rose host 25 successful mobile mammography events in Brazoria County, where they served 437 patients, 180 of whom were uninsured. By bringing these services to medically underserved communities, The Rose is also able to reach insured women, and through this service fee revenue, it, in turn, helps support mammograms for uninsured women.
Although The Rose was forced to temporarily suspend the mobile mammography program due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 7 of the 13 postponed events have already been rescheduled through September with the support of the Freeport City Hall and the Brazoria County Library System, which have been working with The Rose to provide a safe location for patients to be rescheduled and screened.
Gibbons points out that the key to saving a woman’s life is an early breast cancer diagnosis, whether insured or uninsured. Statistically, early diagnosis makes all the difference for women, so ensuring that patients get their routine and annual screenings in medically underserved counties like Brazoria is critical to fighting breast cancer.
“Lack of insurance is the first barrier women face when getting mammograms. If a follow up to an abnormal mammogram is needed, this grant allows us to provide that diagnostic. These services are vital in a county with an estimated 40,000 adults who are uninsured,” she adds. “We are grateful for the continued support the United Way of Brazoria County is making to breast health care in this region.”
To be eligible for services, individuals must be residents of Brazoria County and meet other requirements.
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.
