DE BREAST CANCER COALITION RECEIVES GRANT FROM THE GILL FOUNDATION

December 10, 2003, Wilmington, DE– The Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition, Inc. (DBCC) recently received a grant from the Gill Foundation, a $260 million-endowed organization committed to securing equal opportunity for all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. The grant will allow DBCC to provide the Removing the Barriers: Providing Culturally Competent Care to Lesbians and Women Who Partner with Women curriculum to health care professionals in each of the three counties of Delaware. This training empowers health care professionals to be partners in providing culturally competent care and will help reduce the barriers lesbians experience when accessing health care.

DBCC is the only community-based cancer organization in Delaware with an outreach program, Taking Care of Ourselves, for the lesbian community, which was developed in partnership with Delaware’s Division of Public Health. Taking Care of Ourselves provides breast health outreach and education at public and private events, as well as increasing health care professionals’ awareness of and sensitivity to lesbians’ health needs and concerns.

“Because lesbians often avoid accessing regular health care, this training is much needed,” said Sandra Hoy, Program Coordinator of DBCC. “This training will help remove barriers to accessing health care.”

Lesbians often avoid accessing health care due to real or perceived homophobia and heterosexism, instead accessing health care only in times of acute need. Therefore, routine screenings are not performed and cancers may be detected at later, less treatable stages. Lesbians are also less likely to have adequate health insurance, and are often unable to benefit from a partner’s health insurance plan. DBCC is particularly concerned that lesbians may experience more risk factors for breast cancer compared to heterosexual women, including: never giving birth or having her first child after age 30, never breast feeding, having a higher body-mass index, higher rates of smoking, increased alcohol consumption, lower rates of health insurance, and lower rates of health care screenings.

 DBCC was established in 1991 to raise awareness of breast cancer by providing information, support, and education in a caring and responsive manner on early detection and treatment. DBCC supports the National Breast Cancer Coalition and their efforts to research the causes of breast cancer and pursue optimal treatments and cures. For additional information, please contact DBCC at (302) 778-1102 or (866) 312-DBCC, or visit our website at www.debreastcancer.org.

About the Gill Foundation

The mission of the Colorado-based Gill Foundation is to secure equal opportunity for all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Established in 1994 by software entrepreneur Tim Gill, the Gill Foundation is the nation’s largest funder of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) organizations. With an endowment of approximately $200 million, the Gill Foundation has invested nearly $54 million in nonprofit organizations throughout the country. For more information, call (303) 292-4455 or visit www.gillfoundation.org.