Komen grant funds breast cancer education program for disabled
JuLy 14th, 2008
By Dale M. King
CITY EDITOR
A grant from the Susan G. Komen for the Cure of South Florida organization will launch a breast cancer education program for clients at the Jewish Association for Residential Care (JARC) in Boca Raton.
The JARC Breast Health Initiative will provide adults with intellectual disabilities with education and training to enhance their knowledge of breast cancer risk factors, screening procedures and breast self-examination.
While adults with developmental disabilities are at the same or greater risk for developing breast cancer as the general population, education programs are not tailored to their special needs, said Nancy Freiwald, JARC’s community outreach director.
This program, she said, will provide education and experience in a format that is designed to meet the special needs of adults with intellectual disabilities.
The $10,000 grant is effective for one year. Freiwald said JARC will hire a registered nurse to work with one of its staff members on training. Each of the 20 participants – the group is made up of both women and men -- will be screened by personal doctors. The clients are from Palm Beach County and are between the ages of 20 and 72.
Learning Procedures
The outreach director said the clients will meet twice a month, and will be taught the concepts repetitively to aid in learning. “They will become familiarized with screening equipment and procedures to lessen the anxiety they may experience when undergoing this type of examination.”
She said the developmentally disabled are at the same risk as the general population for breast cancer. However, studies show that women who have never given birth are at a higher risk and the majority of this population falls into this category, Freiwald said.
Komen Programs Coordinator Tina Jacobs was aware of a similar program in Martin County run by ARC and contacted JARC to suggest it submit a grant proposal, Freiwald said.
Actually, the South Florida affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure will provide more than a million dollars to support 32 programs to provide breast health education, breast cancer screening, as well as diagnosis and treatment support programs, in the 2008-2009 fiscal year.
Up to 75 percent of the funds raised through events like the Komen South Florida Race for the Cure stay in the area. The remaining 25 percent goes to the Komen National Award and Research Grant program.
JARC is a nonprofit, non-sectarian organization that operates six group homes in the Boca-Delray area for adults with developmental disabilities. JARC also offers apartment living for those who do not require 24-hour supervision as well as vocational training in its Mel & Elaine Stein Living and Learning Center.
Dale M. King can be reached at 561-549-0832 or at dking@bocanews.com.
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