PRESS RELEASE

IBC Foundation supports Linda Creed Epstein Breast Cancer Foundation

Grant helps provide free mammography for uninsured women

Philadelphia, PA — May 14, 2013 — The Independence Blue Cross (IBC) Foundation announced that it awarded a $10,000 grant to the Linda Creed Epstein Breast Cancer Foundation in Philadelphia to provide more under and uninsured women with free breast cancer screenings, diagnostic testing services and breast health education. This spring, approximately 140 uninsured women will benefit from free screening services at up to five area hospitals because of this grant.

The Linda Creed Foundation was the first organization in the region to offer free screening mammograms to under and uninsured women in the Delaware Valley and recognize the need for breast health education. It was also the first to target outreach to at-risk African American and lesbian communities in the Delaware Valley, and the IBC Foundation is proud to help the organization expand its impact in our region.

“The best line of defense against breast cancer is early detection through mammography and diagnostic testing,” said Lorina Marshall-Blake, IBC Foundation president, who is a 10-year breast cancer survivor. “For many, without Linda Creed, these services would be out of reach. We are pleased to support a program that makes such a meaningful difference in our region.”

Women interested in or in need of Linda Creed Foundation services can contact the organization at 1-877-99-CREED or visit the organization’s website to view a schedule of upcoming screenings available at local hospitals. Each scheduled screening offers women the opportunity to receive a clinical breast exam from a physician, a free mammography screening and education about breast health.

“Support from the IBC Foundation will help us continue our mission to empower more women and help them take control of their lives and health,” said Donna Duncan, Linda Creed Foundation executive director. “Right now about 80 percent of women who get screened through our program express their intent to get regular screenings in the future, which is a wonderful step forward in helping to diagnose the disease early and save lives.”

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, following skin cancers. Approximately 1 in 8 women (12 percent) will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2013, about 10,490 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women in Pennsylvania and nearly 1,950 will die from the disease. In Pennsylvania, 55 percent of women surveyed report having a recent mammogram and a clinical breast exam, but that number drops significantly for the uninsured to 30 percent, and those who do not have a regular source of care to 23 percent¹. The gap continues to widen between those who have access to these preventative tools and those who do not. Philadelphia is reflective of the numbers reported at the State and National level. Sixty-three percent of uninsured women in Philadelphia did not receive a mammogram in the past year and 57 percent of women without a regular source of care went without a mammogram as well².

About the Independence Blue Cross Foundation
In October 2011, the Independence Blue Cross Foundation, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, launched a charitable, private foundation, whose mission is to transform health care through innovation in the communities it serves.  The IBC Foundation and Independence Blue Cross, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, are both committed to improving the health and wellness of the people of southeastern Pennsylvania. The foundation targets the following areas of impact:

• Caring for our most vulnerable: Supporting nonprofit community health center clinics that deliver quality, cost-effective primary, medical, and dental care to uninsured and underinsured people.
• Enhancing health care delivery: Strengthening the nursing workforce through education, career development, and research.
• Building healthy communities: Partnering with community leaders and programs to address community health and wellness needs.

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About Linda Creed Epstein Breast Cancer Foundation

Linda Creed Foundation was the first free-standing breast cancer organization in Pennsylvania. Dedicated to the early detection and treatment of breast cancer, with the goal of reducing unnecessary suffering and death associated with this disease, the new organization immediately identified a strong, unmet community need: free mammography screenings for women who were uninsured or underinsured. The first screenings were presented in cooperation with Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, and two associated hospitals. To date, more than 15 hospitals have participated in the program, which has screened over 8,000 women

Media Contact:
Ruth Stoolman
Independence Blue Cross
Ruth.Stoolman@ibx.com
215.241.4807 (office)
215.280.3335 (cell)

¹American Cancer Society. Breast Cancer Facts & Figures 2012. Atlanta: American Cancer Society, Inc.
²Public Health Management Corporation’s Community Health Data Base 2008 Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey

© 2013 Independence Blue Cross Foundation
Independence Blue Cross and the Independence Blue Cross Foundation are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, serving the needs of Philadelphia and southeastern Pennsylvania.