REDLANDS, Calif. – June 18, 2013 –Susan G. Komen® Inland Empire has awarded a $50,000 grant to Redlands Community Hospital’s Women’s Health Imaging Center for uninsured/underinsured women with abnormal mammograms.

At the Women’s Health Imaging Center, the grant from Komen Inland Empire will support the Navigation Assistance program, an initiative to contact referred women each month who have physicians’ orders for follow-up on abnormal mammograms. The grant will cover the cost of their diagnostics/post-diagnostics at Medicare rates, and will enhance the patient navigation knowledge and skills of WHIC staff.

“The Komen for the Cure grant is a generous gift to the women in our community,” said Tara Cauthron RDMS, RT(R)(M), Manager of the Women’s Health Imaging Center. “WHIC will conduct outreach to major physician groups to make them aware of no-cost diagnostics. All of WHIC’s breast patients will receive state-of-the-art navigation support thanks in large part to this grant.”

Susan G. Komen for the Cure is the world’s largest breast cancer organization, and the Inland Empire Affiliate is one of more than 120 Affiliates on the front lines dedicated to ending breast cancer in their communities. Komen Affiliates fund innovative programs that help women and men overcome the cultural, social, educational and financial barriers to accessing breast health care.

“At Komen Inland Empire, we conducted a needs assessment of our community and discovered a gap in for women who have had abnormal mammograms but may not be able to afford any follow up diagnostics or treatment,” said Sarah Bryant, Mission Programs Manager. “We are confident that through the Women’s Health Imaging Center, these patients will have access to the medical attention that they need.”

Redlands Community Hospital is an independent, not for profit, stand-alone hospital.

About Susan G. Komen®: Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever, and in 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Komen Inland Empire is part of the world’s largest and most progressive grassroots network fighting breast cancer. Since 1999, Komen Inland Empire has invested nearly $6 million in community breast cancer programs across Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. Seventy-five percent of the net proceeds from the Komen Inland Empire Race for the Cure®, and other donations, remain in our service area for mission programs to provide breast health/breast cancer education, screening, patient navigation, diagnostic services and treatment support programs for uninsured/underinsured women and families in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, while 25 percent supports the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Award and Research Program.

Komen Promise: to save lives and end breast cancer forever by empowering people, ensuring quality care for all and energizing science to find the cures.

Online registration is now open for the 15th Annual Komen Inland Empire Race for the Cure® on Sunday, October 20th, 2013 at the Promenade Temecula. For more information, call (951) 676-PINK (7465) or visit www.komenie.org.