Shanti Awarded $50,000 from Avon-Pfizer Towards Metastatic Breast Cancer Services

THE SHANTI PROJECT RECEIVES A $50,000 GRANT FROM THE AVON FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN AND PFIZER TO SUPPORT PATIENTS LIVING WITH METASTATIC BREAST CANCER

Shanti among 22 non profit organizations to be awarded funding specifically towards metastatic breast cancer patient services. 

New York, NY – October 13, 2016 – The Shanti Project received a $50,000 grant from the Avon-Pfizer Metastatic Breast Cancer Grants Program: Identify-Amplify-Unify. In total, 22 non-profit organizations received grants totaling $1 million in funding to support and educate metastatic breast cancer patients, their caregivers and their communities. 

The 22 grantee organizations will receive grants ranging from $25,000 to $75,000, to:

·         Address gaps in services for the metastatic breast cancer community, including medical, psychological, nutritional, complementary and integrative services, support, financial, and legal support.

·         Distribute resources and services available to vulnerable populations, including through telemedicine.

·         Share educational resources with the public focusing on metastatic disease, palliative care, treatment options, clinical trials, access to holistic medication, and complementary medicine.

The Avon-Pfizer Metastatic Breast Cancer Grants Program was created in June 2014 to support advocacy, academic and other nonprofit organizations that provide information and services to help people with metastatic breast cancer navigate the medical and emotional challenges associated with their disease. To date, the partners have invested $2 million towards this goal. The first class of grantees announced last year helped more than 32,800 individuals through efforts including nutrition counseling, patient navigation, education and complementary care. Nearly 230 caregivers also benefitted from grantee initiatives, and many more families and community members were supported by this work. In addition, some programs included online content, reaching more than 14 million people with information on metastatic breast cancer.

For more information about the Avon-Pfizer Metastatic Breast Cancer Grants program, visit http://www.avon39.org/about/grants/metastatic-breast-cancer-grants-program/.

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About Shanti's Margot Murphy Women's Cancer Program
Shanti's Margot Murphy Women's Cancer Program offers services to mitigate the barriers women face after a cancer diagnosis. Our care navigators provide multilingual, culturally competent services, offering patient advocacy, language interpretation, help applying for social services, in-home support, appointment accompaniment, and transportation assistance. Our staff meets with clients in their homes, hospital rooms, or in our office. Shanti also provides health and wellness groups and classes.
We work with anyone newly diagnosed, in survivorship, or in palliative care.
Our program is part of a larger breast cancer community, partnering with public and private hospitals in San Francisco, and working closely with social workers, medical providers, and community partners to encourage treatment adherence to reduce interruptions in care. For more information, please visit: http://www.shanti.org/pages/about-Margot-Murphy-womens-cancer-program.html

About Pfizer Oncology
Pfizer Oncology is committed to the discovery, investigation and development of innovative treatment options to improve the outlook for cancer patients worldwide. Our strong pipeline of biologics and small molecules, one of the most robust in the industry, is studied with precise focus on identifying and translating the best scientific breakthroughs into clinical application for patients across a wide range of cancers. By working collaboratively with academic institutions, individual researchers, cooperative research groups, governments, and licensing partners, Pfizer Oncology strives to cure or control cancer with breakthrough medicines, to deliver the right drug for each patient at the right time. For more information, please visit www.Pfizer.com.

About the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade

Since 1992, the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade has been working to improve breast cancer outcomes and reduce disparities in survival rates. The Crusade’s strategic grant making reflects: a holistic and place-based approach in high-need areas throughout the United States; a commitment to enabling access to medical advances and support services for breast cancer patients, particularly those from vulnerable populations; and a commitment to investing in research on the prevention, diagnostics, and treatment of breast cancer. In the U.S., Avon Breast Cancer Crusade manages the Avon Foundation for Women’s breast cancer programs. The Avon Foundation for Women partners with affiliate Avon Foundations and Avon markets around the world for additional programming. In total, Avon and the Foundation have contributed more than $800 million to breast cancer programs around the world through 2015. To learn more, visit: www.avonfoundation.org.  

About Avon and the Avon Foundation for Women 
Avon is a global corporate leader in philanthropy focused on causes that matter most to women. Through 2015, Avon and the Avon Foundation for Women have contributed over $1 billion in over 50 countries. Avon’s funding is focused on breast cancer research and advancing access to quality care through the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade, and efforts to reduce domestic and gender violence through its Speak Out Against Domestic Violence program. The company’s global markets sell special products to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer and domestic violence, conduct hundreds of events for these causes, and educate women around the world through its global network of nearly six million Avon Representatives.