Iris Stacker, Delta Health System Chief Executive Officer, announced that Delta Health System was awarded funds by the Mississippi Department of Health to launch the Delta Support in Screenings, Treatment, and Education Resources (S.I.S.T.E.R.) project. This project will reach out to uninsured and underinsured African American women ages 18-50 and educate them on the importance of receiving breast and cervical exams.
The goal of the Delta S.I.S.T.E.R. project is to reduce the breast and cervical cancer mortality rates of high-risk minority women in the Mississippi Delta through culturally appropriate and evidence-based interventions that lead to increased screenings, diagnostic services, and ongoing healthcare.
“According to the Mississippi State Department of Health, mortality due to cervical cancer is particularly high among Black women in Mississippi. For every 100,000 African American women, at least four died of cervical cancer between 2015 and 2019. During the same period, mortality due to breast cancer is particularly high among Black women in Mississippi. For every 100,000 African American women, twenty-nine died of breast cancer during this period. It is our responsibility and mission to work more diligently to decrease these staggering statistics,” said Iris Stacker, Delta Health System Chief Executive Officer.
The MS Department of Health’s Mississippi Breast and Cervical Cancer Program strives for early detection of cancer in women who are at the highest risk. Most are uninsured, medically underserved, and a minority.
“Over the course of the grant period, our goal will be to identify and increase the health understanding of at least 170 minority women who are unemployed and/or un/under-insured and provide breast and cervical cancer screenings to them. This number represents 15% of the projected target patient population who meet the criteria of: female, minority, living in Washington County and surrounding area, unemployed and/or un/underinsured,” said Stephanie Patton, Delta Health System Executive Director of System Development.
“Securing this grant gives the Delta Health System team more resources to decrease the staggering health statistics of increased breast and cervical women, especially in the African American Community,” added Stacker.
For more information, contact Kim Dowdy, Community Development Manager, at 662.725.2830.