Florida’s leaders expand breast & cervical cancer early detection efforts

During the 2024 Legislative Session, Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature continued to prioritize cancer research, detection, and treatment efforts to improve survivorship in the state.

This included a significant increase in the Mary Brogan Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, commonly referred to as the Mary Brogan program.

This bold move not only demonstrates a commitment to the health and well-being of Floridians but also signifies a crucial step forward in our fight against breast cancer.

The Mary Brogan Program is a federal-state partnership between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Florida Department of Health, providing potentially lifesaving breast cancer screening and diagnostic services to low-income, uninsured, and underinsured women who do not qualify for Medicaid. At current funding levels, the program serves less than 7.4% of eligible women — and with an increase to $3 million for the Mary Brogan Program, early detection efforts will reach more women in this vulnerable community.

Ensuring adequate funding is key to ensuring that low-income, uninsured, and underinsured women continue to have access to vital screening services, providing newly insured women access to health education, and patient navigation services, as well as enabling proper monitoring of state and local breast cancer patterns and trends. Any delay can mean that a woman won’t seek care until the cancer has spread beyond the breast, making it up to five times more expensive and much harder to successfully treat. Women whose breast cancer is detected at an early stage have a 93% or higher survival rate in the first five years.

Since 1990, breast cancer death rates in Black and minority women, who developed and died from the disease earlier, have only dropped approximately half as fast as in white women, which has led to the American College of Radiology calling for new screening guidelines for high-risk women.

When I reflect on my own journey battling breast cancer, I am reminded of the importance of early detection. After losing my health insurance, I was eligible for free screenings through the Mary Brogan Program, which provided the appropriate follow-up care checks for health problems that may occur months or years after treatment ends, including the development of other types of cancer.

A significant portion of uninsured women in Florida are unable to keep up with routine breast cancer screenings or are unaware of the resources available. I now have the opportunity to help other women receive free screenings through the Mary Brogan Program through MASS: Mammograms After Sunday / Spiritual Service, a program created by my nonprofit, The Beautiful Gate, which is now the signature program of the Florida Breast Cancer Foundation.

Through the MASS program, we provide free mammogram referrals and/or on-site screenings on mobile mammography units through the Mary Brogan Program at a place of worship or community organization. By bringing screenings directly to places of worship, we are breaking down barriers to health care access and reaching individuals who may otherwise go without vital screenings. This holistic approach to outreach and education is essential in ensuring that all Floridians have the opportunity to prioritize their breast health.

Without the Mary Brogan program, many women, including myself, may have died. These programs are lifelines for individuals, providing access to vital screenings and empowering communities with knowledge about breast health. By investing in preventive measures and promoting awareness, we can ensure that more Floridians have the opportunity for early detection and timely treatment.

The decision to significantly increase funding for the Mary Brogan program is a testament to the tireless advocacy efforts of leaders like Gov. DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis, the Florida Legislature, as well as organizations like the Florida Breast Cancer Foundation, ACS CAN, and individuals impacted by breast cancer.

As we celebrate this milestone, it’s important to recognize that our work is far from over. In 2024, an estimated 160,680 Floridians will be diagnosed with cancer — 23,160 of those cases will be breast cancer with an estimated 3,160 women dying from breast cancer. I hope Florida’s Congressional Delegation will look toward the State of Florida’s leadership and pass other early detection efforts, like the Multi-Cancer Early Detection Act, which would allow Medicare to cover new, innovative tests that can detect 50+ types of cancer with a single blood draw, once FDA-approved. We must remain vigilant in our efforts to expand access to innovative early detection efforts and ensure access to innovative, affordable treatments and medications.

I urge all Floridians to prioritize their breast health and take advantage of the resources available to them. Early detection saves lives, and together, we can make a difference.

Thank you, Governor and First Lady DeSantis and the Florida Legislature, for your unwavering support and dedication to ending the suffering caused by breast cancer.

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Pamela Burnett is the founder and president of The Beautiful Gate Cancer Support & Resource Center and creator of The MASS: Mammograms After Sunday / Spiritual Service, which is the signature breast health education and screening program of the Florida Breast Cancer Foundation.

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