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Introduction
The
Breast
AidTM
Education and Outreach Program is a national program that provides information,
resources and referral sources, free of charge, for breast
cancer patients and their families through telephone
counseling, mail support and community outreach at health
fairs and special events.
The Breast Aid Program also
disseminates timely information and referral sources for
mammography screening and breast self/clinical examination.
In addition, Breast AidTM
reaches out to underserved and
indigent patients statewide in California through a
partnership with the Department of Health Services Breast
Cancer Early Detection Program and the California Health
Collaborative/Breast Cancer Treatment Fund, linking them to
low and no-cost screening and treatment services.
Trained
information specialists are on-hand to provide callers and
special event participants with one-on-one support and
educational services. Breast cancer patients receive
on-going follow-up from WIN ABC staff via telephone
consultations and mailed information and resources. Each
patient is tracked with in depth progress reports maintained
by WIN ABC and is sent an individualized educational kit of
peer/medical expert reviewed material that includes:
- A comprehensive WIN
Against Breast Cancer Breast Health and Breast Cancer
Resource Guide with an annotated bibliography of
relevant books.
- A detailed booklet on
breast anatomy and breast self-examination.
- A List of Questions to
Ask Your Doctor About Breast Cancer (available in
English and Spanish).
Additional patient education
materials include:
- Video tapes about dealing
with the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation
therapy.
- Video tapes on
post-mastectomy and post-lumpectomy exercises (available
in English and Spanish).
- Video tapes about
Tamoxifen (available in English and Spanish).
- Video tapes about breast
reconstruction.
- Booklets about nutrition
and eating hints for cancer patients.
Breast Cancer Issues
WorkshopsTM
Breast
Cancer Issues Workshops are professional in-service training
programs conducted by WIN Against Breast Cancer designed
to enhance health care providers' understanding of the
issues and needs of breast cancer patients and their
families. Qualified medical staff can receive Continuing
Medical Educational Units for attending each session.
The sessions
include practical information and discussion about how best
to help patients and their families deal with breast cancer
in a sensitive, supportive and positive manner. Participants
include surgeons, oncologists, nurses, primary care
physicians, mental health and social service providers and
breast cancer survivors.
Last Updated: 06/01/2004
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