The new Crozer-Keystone Community Foundation has announced that it is the recipient of a $50,000 Community Grant award from Komen Philadelphia.

“It’s appropriate that one of the first grants the foundation has received is to address the critical need for mammography and other screenings, diagnostic services, treatment, and support services to uninsured, medically underserved, and low-income Delaware County women (and men) to prevent and treat breast cancer,” said Frances Sheehan, President of Crozer-Keystone Community Foundation.

“Delaware County is considered a ‘high-priority community’ due to its high rate of late-stage breast cancer diagnoses, high breast cancer death rates, high rates of poverty, large numbers of uninsured women, and large numbers of racial and ethnic minorities who are at greater risk. The county is a target community since it will take 13 years or more for the county to meet breast cancer-specific Healthy People 2020 targets based on current trends. As a result, there is tremendous need for targeted outreach to bring women into care sooner.”

In her grant award letter to the foundation, Elaine Grobman, CEO of Komen Philadelphia, said, “This was an extraordinarily competitive year for applicants to the Komen Philadelphia Community Grants Program, and you have every reason to be proud of your selection as a grantee. Once again, congratulations. Komen’s promise is to save lives and end breast cancer forever by empowering people, ensuring quality care for all, and energizing science to find the cures. We are very excited about this grant and look forward to working together with you to fulfill the promise of Susan G. Komen.”

Sheehan went on to say that “women without health insurance or with inadequate health insurance often delay going to the doctor or do not access care at all, leading to poorer outcomes. It is important that women receive screening and treatment as early as possible to ensure optimal health. We are thrilled to receive funding from Komen Philadelphia to serve these women in the coming year, and look forward to partnering with the Crozer-Keystone Health System to get women the critical care they need.”