Become an Advocate!

Komen Dallas County is at the forefront in advocating for sound public policy on the local, state and national levels. Komen Dallas County works to build relationships in order to advance our vision of a world without breast cancer.

In collaboration with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Advocacy Alliance, the nonpartisan voice for the 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the US we work to ensure and protect government programs providing cancer services, especially those for underserved individuals.

Recent Komen Dallas County Legislative Events 

In recognition of breast cancer awareness month, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Dallas County Affiliate celebrated 12 years of a successful Mobile Mammography Outreach Program with community grant recipient Methodist Health System, local legislators, donors and community members. The event took place at the New Leaf Missionary Baptist Church in Dallas and featured speakers during the program included: U.S. Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, (District 30) and Texas Senator Royce West, (District 23).

This event showcased Methodist Health System’s Mobile Mammography Outreach program and was held in one of the priority zip codes identified in our most recent Community Profile. These zip codes were identified as a focus for our outreach efforts based on the disparate rate of late-stage breast cancer diagnoses in this area along with the high percentage of uninsured women and low median incomes. This event offered us the opportunity to not only build our relationships with local legislators, but also to highlight some of the key findings from our Community Profile.

Recent Legislative Developments in Texas

Henda's Law

House Bill 2102 which requires certified Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mammogram facilities to provide patients with information about dense breast tissue following mammogram results was signed into law on June 17, 2011 and will go into effect September 1, 2011 with compliance required by January 1, 2012. Dense breasts make it difficult to detect breast cancer on a mammogram. Dense breast tissue can look white or light gray on a mammogram and cancer can also look white or light gray. As a result, mammograms may not be as effective in women with dense breasts. Through passage of this law patients and their doctors will have more information and be able to discuss screening tests that are best for them.

Links:

Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Advocacy Alliance Warns of Increased Risk and Flaws of Mammography for Women with Dense Breasts

House Bill 2102(Henda’s Law)

For more information on breast density visit Komen.org or download a free copy of Facts for Life: Breast Density

New England Journal of Medicine 2007 article on breast density

To learn more about Henda Salmeron and her efforts

Oral Chemotherapy Parity

During the latest session of Congress the Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Affiliates in Texas worked to pass Oral Chemotherapy Parity legislation. After months of work, Governor Rick Perry signed into law the Oral Chemotherapy bill on May 21, 2011. This law provides that oral chemotherapy drugs must be covered at a rate no less favorable than IV chemotherapy drugs. This legislation will help to remove some of the financial barriers and ensure that patients are able to make decisions regarding cancer treatments based on the best treatment options and not the best financial options. Please join us in congratulating the Texas Affiliates on another big win for cancer patients in the state.

The bill will go into effect September 1, 2011.

Links:

House Bill 438 (Oral Chemotherapy Parity)

Susan G. Komen for the Cure® in Texas

Did You Know?

• Worldwide, breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women.
• One woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every two minutes, and one woman will die of breast cancer every 13 minutes in the U.S.
• In Texas, an estimated 15,070 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed among women in 2011, and 2,620 women will die of the disease.
• In the U.S., an estimated 232,620 new cases will occur in 2011, and nearly 40,000 individuals will die of breast cancer


Making an Impact in Your Community

• Since 1982, Komen has awarded more than $72 million in research grants in Texas to Baylor College of Medicine, Baylor Research Institute, Baylor University, Cancer Research Foundation of North Texas, Montrose Counseling Center, National Center for Farmworker Health, Parkland Memorial Hospital, Stephen F. Austin State University, Texas Woman’s University, University of Houston, University of Texas at Austin, University of Texas at Dallas, University of Texas at Medical Branch, Galveston, University of Texas at Southwestern Medical Center, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
• The 13 Komen Affiliates that serve Texas invested over $16.6 million in their local communities last year for early detection and treatment of breast cancer, breast health education and outreach.  Nationwide, Komen Affiliates invested a total of $132 million in their local communities. 
• Komen Affiliates are working tirelessly to preserve state screening programs across the country so that access to potentially life-saving screening and Medicaid-funded treatment is protected during these tough economic times.  Affiliates are also working to ensure access to oral chemotherapy, patient navigation and clinical trials.
• Komen Affiliates helped fund 511 National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Programs (NBCCEDP) last year — which provide breast cancer screenings to low-income, uninsured and underserved women — totaling more than $30 million.

Komen Advocacy Alliance

The Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Advocacy Alliance (KAA) is the non-partisan voice for over 2.5 million breast cancers survivors and the people who love them. Our mission is to translate the Komen promise to end breast cancer forever into action at all levels of government to discover and deliver the cures.

If you wish to get active locally, contact our Mission Manager Ruth Hendrickson at  rhendrickson@komen-dallas.org or 214-750-7223.