The American Cancer Society (ACS), as part of its Community Health Advocates Implementing Nationwide Grants for Empowerment and Equity (CHANGE) program, has awarded a $75,000 grant to Coastal Health & Wellness to fight breast and colorectal cancer in Galveston County. 

The grant is made possible by a partnership between ACS and the National Football League, with support from the Houston Texans. The NFL’s Crucial Catch: Intercept Cancer program is aimed at increasing access to cancer education, prevention and screening resources in underserved communities. 

Grant funding will support Coastal Health & Wellness efforts to address breast and colorectal cancer by improving access to screening, reducing cancer screening disparities and increasing outreach and education to Galveston County residents. 

These goals will be achieved, in part, by hiring staff dedicated to implementing processes that will allow Coastal Health & Wellness to provide regular screening reminders to patients, addressing barriers, like finances and transportation, that may prevent people from completing screening, and helping patients get connected to follow-up care and treatment resources, if needed. 

“We are very excited to be collaborating with Coastal Health & Wellness and the NFL on this project,” said Damita Hines, American Cancer Society Health Systems Manager. “Over the next 18-months, the health center will utilize their funding to create a comprehensive breast and colorectal cancer screening program that will have a huge impact on cancer screening outcomes in the Galveston County community, even beyond the project period.” 

Galveston County is one of 32 communities to have a grant recipient focused on reducing the unequal burden of cancer by focusing on breast and colorectal cancer disparities and outcomes. 

“We are honored to have this crucial financial support to expand access to breast and colorectal cancer prevention and screening services for the people of Galveston County,” said Mary McClure, CHW Interim Executive Director. “Our goal is to make a positive impact and we know that’s possible with the support of the American Cancer Society, NFL, and the Houston Texans.” 

The grant will kick off with a Crucial Catch Day – Intercept Cancer event at Coastal Health & Wellness (9850-C Emmett F. Lowry Expressway in Texas City) on October 6, 2017 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The event will offer attendees cancer prevention and screening education, family-friendly activities, giveaways and refreshments. Houston Texans Cheerleaders, Houston Texans mascot TORO and an Ambassador will be on hand to meet attendees. 

Health disparities predominantly arise from inequities in work, wealth, income, education, housing and overall standard of living, as well as social barriers to high-quality cancer prevention, early detection and treatment services. ACS collaborates with community health systems to reach individuals in communities with higher burdens of cancer and limited access to cancer screening. 

Since 2012, CHANGE grants funded by the NFL have been awarded to community health systems to provide education, outreach, navigation and access to breast cancer screening resources within communities experiencing an unequal burden of the cancer. 

Collectively, grant funded health systems have provided more than 344,000 outreach & education interventions and have contributed to more than 152,000 breast cancer screenings provided at low or no cost.  

Thanks to our health systems grantees demonstrated impact and the NFL’s continued commitment to this life-changing work, the NFL is expanding its efforts on cancer prevention and early detection across multiple cancers in 2017. 

This expanded funding opportunity will continue to address breast cancer disparities while also addressing either colorectal cancer, cervical cancer, or HPV vaccination. The Society’s vision is a world free from the pain and suffering of breast cancer and all cancers. Prevention and early detection programs, such as the CHANGE grant program, help to eliminate cancer-related health disparities and reach this vision. 

About the American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is a global grassroots force of 2 million volunteers saving lives in every community. As the largest voluntary health organization, the Society's efforts have contributed to a 25 percent decline in the cancer death rate in the U.S. since 1991, driven by less smoking, better treatments and earlier detection. We're finding cures as the nation's largest private, not-for-profit investor in cancer research, ensuring people facing cancer have the help they need and continuing the fight for access to quality health care, lifesaving screenings and more. For more information, to get help or to join the fight, call us anytime, day or night, at (800) 227-2345 or visit cancer.org.

About Coastal Health & Wellness
Coastal Health & Wellness is Galveston County’s Community Health Center, with clinics in Texas City and Galveston. CHW offers high-quality primary medical, dental and counseling services. Medicaid, Medicare and many major insurance plans are accepted and discounted rates offered for eligible patients. For more information, call (409) 938-2234 or visit www.coastalhw.org.

About the Houston Texans Foundation
The Houston Texans Foundation was founded in 2002 with a mission of being Champions for Youth. The Foundation believes that youth are the champions of our future, and therefore it is dedicated to enhancing their quality of life. Since 2002, more than $27.2 million has been raised through our annual fundraising events, disaster response programs, our annual United Way campaign and our partnership with non-profit organizations on Texans game day. Through fundraising efforts, the Foundation supports and administers programs in education, character development and health and fitness to empower the next generation of Texans. The Foundation has aligned with three strategic community partners; the Houston Texans YMCA, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston and the Houston Food Bank, and the majority of their support goes to these three organizations through monetary donations, programming and volunteerism.  The Houston Texans Foundation is committed to inspiring positive change within the Houston community.