Breaking Barriers: Inaugural Physician Education Event Was a Success

On Friday, February 28^th, PECaD hosted “Breaking Barriers: Reducing Disparities, Increasing Access,” an education event for doctors, nurses, and other care providers focused on reducing breast cancer disparities. The event emphasized the role providers can play in reducing breast cancer disparities in the St. Louis region. Participants provided an overview of the barriers to breast cancer

screening and healthcare many in our region face, introduced resources available to providers and patients, discussed how providers can advocate for their patients and enable their patients to advocate for themselves, and more.

Fox 2 anchor Derrion Henderson was the event MC, with entertainment from violinist Andrea Bell Darris. Dr. Bettina Drake, associate director of community outreach and engagement for Siteman Cancer Center, kicked off the event with an overview of the data on disparities in the St. Louis region. Next, Molly Guthrie, director of Public Policy and Advocacy at Susan G. Komen, gave the keynote address on how policy affects disparities and the advocacy work that Komen is doing. Our panel discussion was moderated by Dr. Vetta Sanders Thompson, the E. Desmond Lee Professor of Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Brown School at Wash U. On the panel was Suzanne Fontaine, Executive Director, Susan G. Komen Missouri; Dr. Graham Colditz, Niess-Gain Professor of Surgery and Division Chief, Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine; Dr. Katherine Glover-Collins, Assistant Professor Surgery at WUSM; Sherrill Jackson, president of The Breakfast Club, Inc.; Heather Burns, LMSW, Patient Navigator and Outreach Coordinator at Gateway to Hope; and Paula Fox, Show Me Healthy Women, MO Department of Health and Senior Services. They spoke about health policy and advocacy, community outreach, communication with patients in clinic, community support, and other local resources and services. They also took questions from the audience.

This event was co-hosted by Siteman Cancer Center’s Program for the Elimination of Cancer Disparities, the Breakfast Club, Inc.; the Hatz4Hearts Foundation, and the Pink Angels Foundation.