WSH meets with legislators at Breast Health Advocacy Day
Representatives from Westside Surgical Hospital and Breast Center recently visited Austin to meet with Texas state legislators about public policy regarding breast health and cancer awareness.
Breast Health Advocacy Day, a biannual event held this year on March 5, served as a crucial platform for Community Health Workers and breast health organizations to discuss important issues and provide information for those who are making policies related to health care funding.
WSH joined others from around the state to advocate for funding that would support breast cancer services, education and research.
“It’s important to have our voices heard,” says Angie Kauffman, chief nursing officer/chief administrative officer. “We were able to bring stories and personal experiences and share them with these legislators. Almost everybody we talked to has known someone who has gone through breast cancer. It’s easy to overlook this issue and cut funding when it’s not personal, and it doesn’t become real unless you hear these stories. We had a very positive response.”
A GROWING CONCERN
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women. One out of every eight women born today will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some time during their lives.
The Breast Center at WSH continues to be a proven leader in breast cancer treatment by uniting organizations around a common goal. “We’re able to connect people with groups and programs such as the Susan G. Komen Foundation and the Breast Health Collaborative of Texas,” says Kauffman. “As the first breast hospital in Houston, we serve the community in all aspects. It’s part of our vision and our mission to contribute to breast health.”
In recent years, more niche groups have emerged to fulfill specific needs within the community of breast cancer survivors.
“It’s very rewarding to see these organizations that are targeting specific issues like child care, prostheses and wigs,” adds Jamesia McDonald, patient navigator. “We’re not treating the disease; we’re treating the whole person.”
WSH Chief Administrative/Nursing Officer Angie Kauffman and Nurse Navigator Jamesia McDonald met with state legislators on Breast Health Advocacy Day