Susan G. Komen for the Cure and American Society of Clinical Oncology partner in national ...( CHICAGO Susan G. Komen for the Cure ...),Health

CHICAGO Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the worlds largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and advocates, will invest $10 million over the next four years in partnership with the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the worlds leading professional organization representing physicians of all oncology specialties, to positively impact the quality of cancer care in the United States.

As part of this initiative, the two organizations will create programs and provide grants that will support tangible improvements in access to and the delivery of cancer care. Special emphasis will be placed on disparities in care and access to clinical trials.

Even with great advances in science, there is a great divide in the delivery of quality cancer care, said Hala Moddelmog, Komen for the Cure president and CEO. Far too many people racial and ethnic minorities, the poor, and those with little or no insurance run up against barriers to access every day and are less likely to receive quality cancer care and are more likely to die from this disease. We believe this situation is entirely unacceptable, which is why we are working with ASCO and The ASCO Foundation to initiate sweeping changes.

The importance of quality cancer care cannot be over-emphasized as a key to long-term survival after a diagnosis of cancer, said Gabriel Hortobagyi, MD, president of ASCO. This joint effort partners advocates and cancer physicians to tackle the complex issues of how to significantly improve quality of care for patients everywhere, regardless of their resources. We are very pleased to be working with Komen for the Cure on this extraordinary partnership.

The initiative will also focus on solutions to the projected shortfalls of the oncology workforce in the next decade by creating and sustaining an adequate workforce in all geographic areas, particularly those with large underserved populations. This will become increasingly important
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Contact: Emily Callahan
ecallahan@komen.org
214-755-5200
American Society of Clinical Oncology
1-Jun-2007