The WISE Woman program is a collaboration among numerous organizations: the Amarillo Area Breast Health Coalition, administrator & program director, Susan G. Komen For the Cure Amarillo Affiliate — providing partial funding for the program, and the American Housing Foundation -- enabling access to women residing in their low to middle income properties who will serve as WISE Women.

Additional community organizations, referred to as linking partners, also provide support and services. They are:
 

Harrington Cancer Center   Mammograms & diagnostics   TTUHSC at Amarillo—Department of Surgery – Curriculum   TTUHSC Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health at Amarillo   Research Component   Family Planning and Health Centers – Women’s health services   WTAMU- West Texas Family & Community Services – Student Intern and Student   Assistants   American Cancer Society – Support, Wigs, Prosthesis and transportation for   cancer patients   Coalition of Health Services – access to emergency state funds for treatment   Polk St. United Methodist Church – transportation to Mammogram Events and   Childcare as necessary

Each organization offers the piece of the program they are most qualified to perform which makes for a program with great potential and high-level synergy.

The WISE Woman program addresses breast health awareness and the prevention of breast cancer within Amarillo, Texas. The pilot dates are from April 1, 2009 through March 31, 2010 and the targeted group is women residing in 5 urban communities, friends and family members, but Wise Woman Program services are open to any women in the Panhandle of Texas. The program will be evaluated for future expansion into additional urban residential communities within the Amarillo area. The goal of the WISE Woman program is to provide quality breast health education and services to women residing in low to middle income residential communities in urban areas. Each of the residential communities selected for the pilot program will have an on-site “WISE Woman” who is also a resident of the community and who has received additional breast health education and training that includes access to resources not previously available to the community prior to this program. WISE Woman will give 20 hours per month of service. Komen will provide educational materials, AABHC will provide WISE Woman training, community presenters and curriculum for community events and enable access to mammogram services to residents, friends, family members and others.

The community “Wise Woman”, the “point person” and advocate for breast health awareness and the prevention and early detection of breast cancer, will with assistance, support and training, be responsible for:
 

	Making one on one contacts with the women residing in her community.
	Planning, preparing and delivering informative, educational sessions on breast   health basics, the prevention of breast cancer and community resources   available to women.
	Arranging for attendance at “mammogram events”. These events also address   the barriers that keep underserved and underinsured women from receiving   annual mammograms after the age of 40, such as lack of money, insurance,   transportation, child care and government red tape.

301 South Polk Street, Suite 740  |  Amarillo, TX 79101  |  Phone (806) 331-4710