Susan G. Komen for the Cure Puget Sound Affiliate Programs
Up to 75 percent of the Puget Sound Affiliate's net income stays in Western Washington to fund breast cancer screening programs and educational outreach and treatment projects for medically underserved women.
Remaining net income (a minimum of 25 percent) is invested into groundbreaking breast cancer research, meritorious awards and educational and scientific programs around the world for the discovery of the cure(s). In order to ensure funds are making the greatest impact, Komen Puget Sound works with local medical experts and community leaders to conduct comprehensive community needs assessments. These community profiles are then used to establish local grant application and review processes consistent with the Foundation's high standards and mission
The Komen Puget Sound Affiliate awards grants to local non-profit organizations that provide culturally appropriate breast health education and breast cancer screening, treatment, and support programs that reach medically underserved individuals living Western Washington. Last year, Komen funding provided13,000 women with life saving breast cancer screening and more than 30,000 women were reached through education, outreach, and treatment support.
Komen Puget Sound offers community education via an active speaker's bureau and no-cost educational materials.
Komen Puget Sound engages in advocacy to ensure that local and national systems are in place to fulfill our mission.
Recent Successes and Current Challenges
Komen Puget Sound awarded $2.8 million this year to local non-profit organizations to provide breast cancer education, screening, and treatment support for underserved women and to research for the cure(s) of breast cancer. This grant award included $1.3 million to the Washington State Breast Cervical and Colon Health Program to provide free mammograms to underserved residents of Western Washington. This grant award eliminted the current wait list of more than 1,000 women to recieve a life saving mammogram.
Breast cancer is an urgent matter in our community. Washington State has among the highest incidence rates of breast cancer in the country. An estimated 4,900 Washington state women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year, and an estimated 790 individuals will die of the disease. Early detection provides the greatest outcome for survival. Komen Puget Sound needs to expand our work to provide screening access to an estimated 70,000 eligible women. Gifts to Komen Puget Sound from Seattle Foundation donors will be invested to positively impact the lives of individuals with few resources and those facing language, cultural and medical barriers in order to reduce breast health disparities and reduce the breast cancer mortality rate.