Franciscan Health’s breast cancer treatment programs for low-income patients received some help from a long-running and successful state program.
The Indiana Breast Cancer Awareness Trust awarded $42,240 in grants to the Franciscan Health Foundation to provide free screenings and diagnostic services for low-income Hoosier women, as well as material support for patients with a breast cancer diagnosis, including food, transportation and housing payments. The Franciscan Health Foundation has received funding from the program for several years.
The trust is funded in part through the Indiana breast cancer vanity license plate, which was the idea of Nancy Jaynes, a teacher from Plymouth, who died from breast cancer in 2008. Information from breastcancerplate.org said more than 19,000 specialty plates have been issued since being authorized by the state in 2002 and has raised more than $5 million, which has been awarded to programs for the treatment of breast cancer.
Franciscan said the grants it received will go toward the following:
- $16,140: Breast cancer screenings and diagnostic services for women whose household income is at or below 300% of the federal poverty level and lack sufficient insurance.
- $10,600: Support post-diagnosis support services at Franciscan Health Michigan City and at Franciscan Health Women’s Center in Chesterton for women whose household income is at or below 350% of the federal poverty level.
- $8,000: Post-diagnostic support services at the Indianapolis Cancer Center or at Franciscan Health Mooresville for women whose household income is at or below 350% of the federal poverty level.
- $7,500: Post-diagnosis support services in Lake County for women whose household income is at or below 350% of the federal poverty level.
The trust also has awarded more than $80,000 in scholarships to incoming and current college students who have lost a parent or who have a parent currently battling the disease.
