Since 2011, the CFDA Foundation has partnered with the New York Community Trust to identify leaders in the field of breast cancer treatment with a focus on expanding patient navigator programs.

In some communities, low-income, minority, and immigrant women do not seek routine cancer screenings because of cultural or educational barriers, lack of health insurance, or access to primary care physicians. As a result, several of these women are diagnosed with late stage cancer by the time they seek treatment and mortality rates are high.

Patient navigators are trained paraprofessionals who have been found to be critical in helping women seek screening and, when diagnosed, receive treatment. Navigators serve as the liaison between physicians and the patient, helping with every stage of the breast cancer process. When individuals want to stop treatment in order to better care for their children or because they lack transportation, a navigator will intervene and help find a solution. Sometimes it is cooking dinner for the patient’s family or it’s driving the patient to their appointment.

In addition to social support, navigators have been critical in educating patients on their diagnosis and helping them understand the health care system. By eradicating barriers to seek screening and treatment, patient navigators are helping to decrease mortality rates in these areas.

Fashion Targets Breast Cancer currently allocates grants to 7 breast cancer patient care facilities on the East and West Coasts, respectively. To date, FTBC has raised $55 million globally.

For ways to contribute to FTBC this month, click here.