LLU receives grants from Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
On January 25, Loma Linda University received three grants from the Inland Empire affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
A $74,555 grant was awarded to the School of Medicine to continue a study researching the effects of certain proteins on breast cancer tumor development and progression. Researchers are studying the protein IGF-2 as a possible marker for tumor aggressiveness.
A second grant of $20,658 was awarded to the Breast Health Center to develop multi-media computer kiosks in medical clinics in low-income areas that provide interactive breast cancer education. The kiosks will provide a woman with a printout of her risk assessment, which she may then bring to her physician for further recommendations.
The location of these kiosks will enable them to target women of low-income and diverse cultural backgrounds. The kiosks will also allow the educational program to be tailored to a woman's educational level and cultural background.
Using state-of-the-art educational technology, the system will utilize personal information the woman provides, as well as self-assessment sections, to tailor the educational level and cultural perspective of educational material presented. The program will also allow a woman to choose between presentations in English and Spanish.
The third grant of $37,723 will be shared between the Social Action Community (SAC) Health System and the School of Public Health to improve breast cancer detection rates and awareness of treatment options among low-income women.
The SAC Health System medical staff try to increase awareness by discussing breast cancer issues with women who have come to SAC clinics for other reasons. They specifically target women who visit the Breast Cancer Early Detection Program, the Family Planning Access Care and Treatment Program, the Medically Indigent Adult Program, and the Comprehensive Perinatal Services Program.
These programs serve approximately 3,400 women per year. The grant will supplement the SAC Health System budget and allow additional time to be spent with women who utilize these programs.
The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation was established in 1982 and is the nation's largest private provider of funds for research dedicated solely to breast cancer. The foundation is a national organization with a volunteer network in the Inland Empire and other affiliates across the country fighting to eradicate breast cancer as a life-threatening disease by advancing research, education, screening, and treatment.