Healthy Women’s Program
Breast and cervical cancer have touched the lives of many people. Early detection
and awareness is the key in the battle against these life-threatening diseases,
yet many women who are uninsured, under-insured or lack access to funds can not
afford to pay for these services.
Through funds raised by Community Memorial Healthcare Foundation’s annual
Gold Dust Gala along with the generous support of the Wallis Foundation,
Community Memorial Health System is able to offer breast cancer screening
and treatment, and cervical cancer screening and vaccine to women in our
community who lack access to pay for these life-saving exams.
Breast Cancer Screening & Treatment
In 2008, an estimated 182,460 new cases of
breast cancer occurred in the United States.
This is an alarming number, yet through the
funds raised at the Gold Dust Galas, we have
been actively taking care of women in our
community who lack access to life-saving tests
and treatments to combat this disease. Last
year, 81 women received breast care treatments
ranging from mammography exams to biopsies
and surgical interventions at the Breast
Center at Community Memorial Hospital.
We are very proud to help these individuals
because without access to our program, many
of these women would have few other options.
In fact, our unique program is the only one
in the county that offers these treatments to
women under the age of 40.
Cervical Cancer Screening & Vaccine
Each year 13,000 women are diagnosed with
cervical cancer in the United States. Cervical
cancer continues to be the second most
common type of cancer in women worldwide
after breast cancer.
Cancer of the cervix is almost always caused
by the human papilloma virus, commonly
known as HPV. It is estimated that at any
given time 20-40 million Americans are
infected with HPV. The good news is that
most cases of cervical cancer can be
prevented through early detection and
treatment, and through funds raised at
this year’s Gold Dust Gala we are excited to
expand our services to women in need in
this particular area.
Through our Centers for Family Health clinics
located throughout western Ventura County,
we will now offer qualified women access to a
Papanicolaou test (Pap smear). The Pap test can
identify abnormal or pre-cancerous changes in
the cervix so that they can be removed before
cancer develops. In addition, the HPV vaccine
treatment series, Gardasil, will be available.
This vaccine series protects against 4 strains
of HPV (6, 11, 16, 18) that are responsible for
approximately 70% of cervical cancers.
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