Shanti's Margot Murphy Women's Cancer Program Launches New Partnerships to Promote Wellness

Last year, the Margot Murphy Women's Cancer Program had a packed calendar of wellness activities.

Gatherings included writing letters to women newly diagnosed with breast cancer, learning make-up tricks with Sephora's "Classes for Confidence," and music therapy (shown left).

We are looking forward to even more fun this year!

(Above): Clients fill the community space of Sephora during the "Classes for Confidence" series offered in September.

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The Margot Murphy Women's Cancer Program & Avon: Creating A Safety Net for Women In-Need

Funding Continues to Support Diverse Client Needs

Earlier this spring, the Avon-Pfizer Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC) Grants Program sponsored three Margot Murphy Women’s Cancer Program representatives to attend its second annual grantees retreat in New York City. The MBC Grants Program launched in 2014 to support initiatives to provide information and services that help people with metastatic breast cancer navigate the medical and emotional challenges associated with their diagnosis.  Client Gerry Crowley, Program Director Judith Harkins, and Care Navigator & Wellness Manager Lily Tsen participated alongside representatives from 22 different non-profit organizations from across the United States in the two-day retreat. The program covered topics unique to the needs of metastatic breast cancer patients, including integrative medicine, legal assistance, clinical trials, and nutrition for those undergoing treatment. As the only attendee over 80, Gerry was able to provide a unique perspective. The team from Shanti was able to connect with other providers and client representatives during panel sessions and breakout groups, creating a stronger network of care for all those facing a metastatic breast cancer diagnosis. 

Through Shanti’s partnership with the Avon Foundation for Women, our Women’s Cancer Program has received $475,000 in grants, including $75,000 in grants from the Avon-Pfizer MBC Grants Program. This generous funding helps ensure that Shanti can continue to offer critical safety net services to underserved women with breast cancer in San Francisco. Significantly, the support through the MBC Grants Program enables our staff to identify the unique needs of our clients with metastatic breast cancer and expand and adapt our services to best serve them. 

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.

Last year, Shanti provided Care Navigation, Emotional and Practical Support, and Health & Wellness Activities to more than 500 women facing cancer in San Francisco.

For more insight on metastatic breast cancer and the Avon-Pfizer MBC Grants Program, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkkRiNamCow