Although the Foundation has provided funding for breast cancer screenings for many years in all of Alabama’s 67 counties for women and men who cannot afford them, we are now proud that we can take over the northern counties of Alabama.
Previously, the Susan G. Komen Foundation funded these counties, but in September 2020 that organization closed its office in Birmingham, creating a need that we are proud to fill.
In direct response to the Komen closing and the Alabama Department of Public Health’s Alabama Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program’s (ABCCEDP) subsequent need for increased funding in North Alabama, the Foundation is expanding its efforts
and providing funds statewide for breast cancer screenings through ABCCEDP.
“We are very appreciative of our longstanding partnership with the Joy to Life Foundation and to its co-founders Joy and Richard Blondheim,” said State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris. “Early detection of breast cancer through regular screening saves lives. The Foundation’s commitment to helping underserved women receive cancer screenings has saved more than 125 lives over the past 17 years. By expanding its
coverage statewide, they will help us ensure as many women as possible receive life-saving cancer screenings.”
The ABCCEDP provides free mammograms, Pap/HPV testing, and if needed, diagnostic testing to women who have no insurance, have an income at or below 250 percent of the poverty level and are age 40-64. If there is a diagnosis of cancer, most women are eligible to receive treatment through the Alabama Medicaid Agency.
Each year hundreds of medically underserved women are diagnosed with breast and cervical cancer through the Alabama Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (ABCCEDP), and nearly 3,000 women have been diagnosed since this program began in 1996.
According to the Blondheims, the Joy to Life Foundation feels the need and responsibility to support ABCCEDP in filling this financial gap, so that mammograms and other breast cancer screenings can continue to be provided without interruption in the northern counties for the medically underserved.
“As the Joy to Life Foundation has done for 20 years, we will continue to work tirelessly every single day to provide the lifesaving screenings that every woman in Alabama needs and deserves,” stated Joy Blondheim. In addition to providing funds to ABCCEDP, the Foundation also assists women under age 40 who are at high risk or have symptoms of breast cancers. “We are honored and excited to introduce the Joy to Life Foundation to these counties,” Joy said.
MOVING AHEAD WITH HOPE
We asked Joy to Life Foundation co-founder Joy Blondheim to share some thoughts on where the Foundation is headed in 2021. Grab your sunglasses cause the future forecast is looking sunny!
“I know the Joy to Life Foundation has a strong and purposeful future in Alabama. We are so humbled and at the same time so thrilled to step forward and assist the Alabama Department of Public Health as they provide mammograms and other health screenings to the medically underserved in the northern counties of Alabama in response to the lack of Susan G. Komen funds being allocated to the area. We are honored to introduce the mission of the Joy to Life Foundation to North Alabama and to serve the women and men in the area who need our help. One of the core beliefs of our Foundation is: ‘Live here. Give here.’ That means, a donor should take comfort in knowing their contributions stay in their community. We are confident that when the residents of North Alabama learn that 100 percent of our pink car tag sales are used to help people in their counties
– now all 67 Alabama counties
– we will expand our car tag sales and in turn be able to help evenmore people in our state.It is the household awareness that we are so appreciative of in Central and South Alabama that I know will grow in the northern parts of
Alabama.”