CDC funds programming for young women with breast cancer in Chicago
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A project supporting young women in Chicago living with breast cancer has received $2 million from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Led by UIC College of Medicine’s Tamara Hamlish and co–primary investigator Elizabeth Papautsky, BHIS assistant professor, the five-year grant will support the efforts of Young And A Survivor (YAAS!) as they continue to build a multi-sector network to support women diagnosed with breast cancer before age 45. This is the second round of funding for YAAS!, which Hamlish began in 2019. The organization collaborates with other cancer networks, community groups and clinical partners, including OT department head Susan Magasi.
“I’m grateful and humbled to join this impactful project and to have the opportunity to collaborate with Dr. Hamlish,” said Papautsky. “We both share a passion to serve breast cancer patients and survivors through facilitating access to services, designing and disseminating resources and promoting overall health and wellness, with continuous evaluation of the impact of these efforts.”
The program connects young women with a history of breast cancer with resources to address the specific challenges they often face, such as fertility preservation, psychosocial support, career navigation, sexual health and other services. YAAS! also builds connections between patients and community organizations.
“Young breast cancer patients and survivors and their families have needs that may be different from older women,” said Papautsky. “Through tailored events and resources, YAAS! helps connect young women to services that are otherwise difficult to find.”
The program also trains community health workers and patient navigators to support this population. A 14-week telehealth training program for community-based navigators, the Breast Cancer Survivorship Navigator Virtual Learning Collaborative, is offered four times per year in English and Spanish. Additional skill-building workshops for community leaders and cancer patient advocates run throughout the year.
YAAS! focuses specifically on women in Chicago, with an emphasis on communities with limited access to resources and information. Women with breast cancer in these Chicago communities experience worse overall health and a greater risk of mortality, according to Hamlish and Papautsky. YAAS! programming addresses social drivers of health and barriers to care.
“Given the historical and demographic health differences around breast cancer in the Chicago area, there is a lot of work to do.”