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Blanket Indy With Care –
Supporting our Homeless Initiative Program…

February featured a campaign to raise awareness and support for our Homeless Initiative Program!  The campaign included efforts on the social media front as well as a direct mail piece that may have been sent to your home.  Take a look at our news archive to read what it was all about. A huge thanks to everyone who took a few minutes to support the campaign. You are helping thousands of homeless people in Indy get much-needed care and reach their goals!

Whatever you call ‘em, check ‘em –
A fun spin on a serious subject…

Bebops, Bazooms, Pillows, the Girls… Our Whatever You Call ‘Em, Check ‘em campaign has been ongoing since mid-April to raise awareness about breast health and the importance of regular check-ups and screening mammograms, particularly for women living in poverty.  A fun question posed on Facebook asked “What do YOU call ‘em?”.

Thanks to everyone who encouraged a woman in your life to take care of her “girls,” and to help others do the same. So many social, economic and cultural barriers prevent low-income women from getting a screening mammogram. You ARE making a difference in Indy!

We had many WONDERFUL patient and staff stories about breast cancer
- you can find them here.

Spring Into Action!
Getting residents active on the southeast side…

On Saturday, April 30, HealthNet teamed up with students from the University of Indianapolis to pilot a walking program called Spring Into Action.  Nearly 100 Indianapolis residents participated in the kick-off, a 1-mile fun walk throughout Fountain Square. Participants stopped at certain spots along the route to get their blood pressure checked and body fat estimated.
A great turnout for what will be a great program!  Click here to read more about it.

Social Media Presence
Giving you inside information daily…

Pictures of health center construction on Facebook… What’s up with our Outreach programs with @GiveACareIndy… FQHC Advocacy with @Indy_HealthNet… More detailed info with our e-newsletters!  There are a number of ways to keep up-to-date with what is going on with us!  Sign up for all or sign up for one – you don’t have to just sit and watch. Our social media outlets are here to get YOUR perspective and gain feedback from YOU.  Comment, retweet, and enter a discussion on how we can all give greater care to those who need it most in Indianapolis.

Kay Johnson, HealthNet staff member, shares her personal story on the importance of reminding the ones you love to take care of themselves.  Whether it is a gentle push or a ‘GET YOUR BUTT TO THE DOCTOR!’, Kay stresses the urgency to love the ones nearest to you.

Kay, as a child, with her mother!

I’ve been mothered by many amazing women in my lifetime, and I’m grateful to all of them. There were Betty and Liz, second moms who rounded out my own mom’s mothering. Aunt Bonnie, who checked on me regularly during my growing up years to make sure I was holding steady. Ruthie, a neighbor who grew to be one of my most trusted confidants. And Emily, who always knew when to give me a good swift kick as only a best friend can!

Most importantly, there was my own mother, who taught me moxie, grace and conviction. And especially my grandma, who surely earned sainthood status for raising me while in her 60s and 70s after my mom died of breast cancer at age 36.

Although I’m thankful for all the mothering I’ve had, there’s almost nothing I would like more than to go back in time and urge my mom to get that breast check-up earlier than she did. If you still have that opportunity with your mom – take it! Mother’s Day is a great time to gently nag HER for a change (with love, of course!) and encourage her to take care of herself.

I’ve added three names to my list of amazing women that I’m celebrating this Mother’s Day. Strong women I’ve met at HealthNet who are doing just that – mothering other women in how to take care of themselves. There’s Irene, a woman of faith who courageously battled breast cancer and now shares her story so that her daughters, and others, can learn from her experience. There’s Paula, a nurse and breast cancer survivor who teaches low-income moms how to be their own best health care advocate. And Maggie, a young woman who honors the grandmother she never knew by helping women in need get access to life-saving mammograms.

There’s almost nothing I would like more than to go back in time and urge my mom to get that breast check-up earlier than she did! – Kay speaking about losing her mother as a child.

In honor and in memory of mothers everywhere, let’s share the love we feel for our own moms – and other “moms” in our lives – by spreading the word and raising funds to support women in Indy who need better access to women’s health care. I encourage you to read more about the need and then to do something about it!

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Make a $25 donation today that will help a woman in need gain access to a mammogram, visit our website and refer someone who needs direction to begin regular screenings, or simply spread the word on the importance of regular check-ups and mammograms.  Together, we can break down ALL barriers keeping women from staying healthy.

Tell us something special about one of the “moms” in your life! Visit our Facebook page and share your story!

Getting your annual exam is critical, and we want Indianapolis to know that we give a care about women’s health!

In a light-hearted approach to a serious issue, HealthNet’s Whatever you call ‘em, check ‘em breast cancer awareness campaign  encourages women to get their annual breast exam. Seriously, there’s nothing more important taking care of your girls!

What do YOU call ‘em?

If you’re one of our Facebook fans, check out our fun list of names on our Facebook page. Feel free to submit your own entry.

The steps are easy, and in joining this fun conversation, you are showing your community that you give a care!

1. Go to our Facebook page
2. Submit or vote for your favorite name.
3. Encourage your friends to vote for your entry or include their own!
4. Tweet it, blog it, email it, and share it!

Women who are uninsured are less likely to be screened for breast cancer, increasing their risks of dying from this preventable disease.  As a community, we give a care about women’s health and the importance of annual screening mammograms. Helps us spread the word! Together we can build a healthier Indianapolis community!

HAVE FUN WITH US!!

WHATEVER YOU CALL ‘EM, LET US KNOW!

MAKE SURE YOU CHECK ‘EM!

AND HELP US BREAK DOWN THE BARRIERS FOR WOMEN WHO MAY NOT HAVE THE MEANS TO GET REGULARLY SCREENED!

Of course, mom will be thrilled and admire the beauty and scent of the flowers for a few days but then what? This year, why not consider giving her a gift that will not wilt, not lose its color and not need to be thrown away in a week. This year, why not consider giving her a gift of life – for someone else. For the cost of a bouquet of flowers, you could make a $25 contribution to HealthNet’s Mammography Program to assist uninsured women living in poverty receive access to life-saving preventative screenings.

When it comes to women’s health, a gift of $25 helps ensure that a woman who can’t afford a mammogram will get one. It helps create a community of support and a place to turn for questions when an inner-city woman finds out she has breast cancer. A gift of $25 gives us the ability to provide tools that enable girls and women to become better health advocates. This gift changes everything.

Consider making a gift to HealthNet in honor or in memory of all the moms in your life. We all know the value of access to health care services, and I know that many of you care deeply about women’s health issues. So this Mother’s Day, when you’re contemplating which bouquet of flowers to buy, consider honoring your mom with a gift to HealthNet.

Click to make your $25 donation online or send a check by mail to HealthNet.  With each donation, we’re on our way to changing Indy. Let’s make our city a healthier place for moms everywhere!

Other suggestions on how to make a difference?  Have a fun Mother’s Day story?  Comment below.  Keep the conversation going!!

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Want to keep up-to-date with HealthNet’s efforts to improve access to health care in Indy? Friend, follow and find out more!

On May 8, nearly 140 million Mother’s Day cards will be exchanged in the United States. Most of these cards cost between $4 and $5!

Now imagine what would happen if you donate that five dollars to your favorite Indy non-profit in honor of Mom. We could CHANGE our city for the better!

But wait…you may be wondering how five dollars can change anything. When it comes to women’s health, five dollars helps ensure that a woman who can’t afford a mammogram will get one. Five dollars helps create a community of support and a place to turn for questions when an inner-city woman finds out she has breast cancer. Five dollars gives us the ability to provide tools that enable girls and women to become better health advocates. Five dollars changes everything.

Consider making a gift to HealthNet in honor or in memory of all the moms in your life. And if you’re thinking a $5 donation doesn’t make a difference, think again. If every one of our blog readers, e-newsletter subscribers, Twitter followers and Facebook supporters made a $5 donation in honor of their mom or loved one this Mother’s Day, we’d raise more than $20,000 for early breast cancer detection and awareness for women in need. That’s right — $20,000.

We all know the value of access to health care services, and I know that many of you care deeply about women’s health issues. So this Mother’s Day, when you’re contemplating which card to buy, honor your mom with a gift to HealthNet.

With every $5 donation, we’re on our way to changing Indy. Let’s make our city a healthier place for moms everywhere!

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Want to keep up-to-date with HealthNet’s efforts to improve access to health care in Indy? Friend, follow and find out more!

THREE pretty big obstacles:

1. Deciding to prepare yourself for cancer. – just in case.
2. Trying to afford insurance – just in case.
3. Finding the income to pursuit services to prepare yourself – just in case.

Uninsured women often face these three obstacles, and many times do not know where to turn.

Uninsured women [are] more likely than their insured counterparts to require a longer, more extensive chemotherapy regimen (find out more statistics from The Commonwealth Fund).

There are several organizations in the Indianapolis area that provide mammogram screenings to those without health insurance and living below the federal poverty. HealthNet is one of those organizations.

Last year, HealthNet provided mammogram screenings to uninsured women, as well as breast health education and outreach services with the hopes of overcoming the cultural, educational, social and financial barriers that prevent women from getting screened.

This education and outreach is vital because research shows that women without health insurance are less likely to get a mammogram screening. A report done in New York showed that uninsured women lag behind the insured when it comes to getting screened for breast cancer. City Council Speaker, Christine Quinn, believes it is, “because uninsured women do not know enough about the resources that are out there for them.”

The American Cancer Society has put together an Indiana Mammography Facility Guide on their website that is a resource listing of facilities throughout the state offering screening services. In addition, a contact number is provided for those on Medicare and the uninsured that assists them with finding a designated site that will provide mammogram screenings if they can not afford this service.

Partnerships through St. Vincent’s Mobile Mammography Unit, Little Red Door Cancer Agency and HealthNet’s Health Centers exist to provide free mammograms to qualifying low-income or uninsured women in Indianapolis.  Together we are taking the steps needed to offer preventative and screening services to women in Indianapolis – just in case.

Uninsured women are less likely to be screened for breast cancer, causing their risk of dying form the disease to increase by 20 percent! Together we can give them a chance to fight breast cancer. Together we can close that gap.

I had complete strangers rubbing my head!

Paula Jacobs, HealthNet’s 67-member team captain at the 2011 Central Indiana Race for the Cure and 5-year breast cancer survivor, tells her story. 

“I’m the first one to talk about my experience,” said the energetic women’s health nurse. “I want to share my story to help others.” Awareness and prevention efforts are very near and dear to her heart.

Paula - her hair is back, but her story sticks with everyone she encounters.

Like many women, Paula discovered she had breast cancer by accident.  One morning, she noticed a change in her breast while taking a shower. She knew something wasn’t right, and called her doctor right away.

Results from screening and diagnostic mammograms were inconclusive. After a follow-up ultrasound, however, doctors spotted the golf ball-sized lump.

A week later, Paula had surgery and began chemotherapy. Thanks to the support of family, friends and co-workers, she was able to continue working throughout her treatment.

Paula says she learned many life lessons on her journey back to health.

“The first time I looked in the mirror and there was no hair there, I freaked,” she said. “I thought, ‘I am not a whole person.’ Then I just rubbed my head, and thought, everybody’s going to rub the head. I’m ok. I’m alive. I can teach.”

After that, Paula knew how to put others at ease. “When I would catch someone staring at me, I would point to my head and say, ‘Breast cancer – now rub the head!’ I had complete strangers rubbing my head. It put a smile on their face because they knew that I was ok with it,” she said.

As a nurse, Paula shares her story daily with women at HealthNet’s community health centers. She knows, first hand, that uninsured women are less likely to be screened for breast cancer, increasing their risk of dying from the disease by 20%.

“When patients tell me they don’t have the money to have a mammogram done or to have treatments, I sit down with them and explain that there are ways to do this. You HAVE to stay healthy. You have to take care of YOU,” she said.

“Many of our patients remember what I went through. They had to ‘rub the head’ too. Now when they come in for their check-ups, they are the first to tell me that they’ve had their mammograms!”

These success stories encourage her. And, she is vigilant in reminding folks to keep up with their self-exams and mammograms.

“I explain to them, you don’t have to be 50. You can be 20.  You can be 15, you can be 65. Every female and every male is susceptible to breast cancer.  So it’s really important to get regular screenings and to check out any lump or bump you may have,” she said.

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HealthNet cares for nearly 20,000 women each year, many of whom live at or below the federal poverty level. With your help, we hope to overcome the cultural, social, educational and financial barriers that prevent women from getting screened and receiving life-saving treatment. Here’s how you can help! If you or someone you know needs direction to the first step in getting regular screenings click here to find our nearest health center to you!

Maggie hard at work!

Before Maggie was born, her maternal grandmother passed away from breast cancer. It was during the late 1960s when technology was not as sophisticated as it is today and, unfortunately, her condition was misdiagnosed. So, Maggie grew up well aware of the risks women face and decided to pursue a career helping those women who may not know the risks or have the knowledge to pursue prevention.

“Most women are nervous and scared to get a mammogram. I take great pride in knowing that I am here to help put them at ease,” – Maggie stated when asked about helping women get screened.

Maggie joined HealthNet because she was most interested in being able to perform both radiological and mammography exams. “Most places make you choose one or the other, so I am excited that I have the opportunity to care for two special areas of need.” She believes that providing compassionate care and making the patient feel comfortable builds a trust that will increase the success rate of them returning for future exams.

“I am also passionate about providing this valuable service to the underinsured and uninsured – everyone deserves quality care.”

Many women who are uninsured may not seek out a mammogram for fear that if there is something wrong…what would happen next? How would they pay for a diagnostic exam if their screening came back showing a concern? At HealthNet, providing life-saving mammogram screenings is vital to ensuring our patients are getting the best care possible – regardless of their ability to pay. Maggie’s sense of compassion and trusting nature put patients at ease. “I know how important it is to have a mammogram. Helping people get the screenings they need, to potentially save their lives, is what my job is all about.”

Learn more about HealthNet’s locations, refer a friend or a family member to pursuit a mammogram, and feel free to call any of our locations to hear about the options offered at HealthNet.

If you would like to donate a simple $25 to help someone afford mammography assistance, here is how.

“In my world, I think most people think the word cancer means death,” Irene said when talking about her experience.

After discovering the lump, her next step was to call her daughter, who then set up an appointment for an exam.  Through HealthNet’s Mammography Assistance Program, Irene was referred to Methodist Hospital to get a mammogram.

Uninsured women are less likely to be screened for breast cancer, causing their risk of dying from the disease to increase by 20%.

Rosa Alcazar with her mother Irene Lopez

Irene was lucky.  Her aunt had battled with breast cancer before, so she was in the habit of performing self-examinations and getting regular screenings and mammograms.

HealthNet was just the beginning of the journey for Ms. Lopez, and it was the relationship between our health centers and local hospitals that eventually led to her recovery. After speaking with Rosa and being referred to Methodist Hospital for her mammogram, Irene’s biopsy was also done at Methodist, further tests were done with an oncologist, her surgery was done at Wishard, and Irene’s 30 radiation treatments were done at Indiana University Hospital.

“I was very scared, but I had a lot of signs telling me that everything was going to be okay.  All of the support from the doctors, nurses, and staff, people who didn’t even know me helped me so much.“

Irene spoke about how she felt it was important for her to tell her story and to give her testimony so that others can learn from her experience.  The reality is that most patients who visit community health centers are low-income and may even be living in poverty which can only add to the stress of going through a difficult battle with cancer.  Many low-income women must choose between caring for themselves by getting regular screenings or getting regular check-ups for their children.

But HealthNet can help.

Irene was asked what she would say to any woman that may be starting their OWN journey with breast cancer, and her answer was this:

“Don’t be afraid.  Sometimes it feels like the world is shutting down, but if you look around, there are many doors that are opening.  Don’t ever lose faith in the doctors, nurses, or staff who are treating you, and with the support from your friends and family, you can make it through!”

Make a donation today that may help a woman in need gain access to a mammogram, visit our website and refer someone who needs direction to begin regular screenings, or simply spread the word on the importance of regular check-ups and mammograms.  Together, we can break down ALL barriers keeping women from staying healthy.

According to BreastCancer.org, about 1 in 8 women in the United States will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of their lifetime. Mammography is a simple screening that is vital to the early detection of breast cancer, but low-income women are 26% less likely to receive a mammogram. Women living at or below the federal poverty level don’t normally have the access or health care coverage to receive a mammogram.

What is being done to help these women?

Several local hospitals and nonprofits such as Little Red Door provide free mammograms to the underserved women in Indianapolis. We, at HealthNet, are doing the same. Our patients are referred through our primary care centers and we have a radiological technician on staff to provide mammogram screening.

With your help, we hope to overcome the cultural, social, educational, and financial barriers that prevent women from getting screened and receiving life-saving treatment.

To learn more and to donate $25 towards a mammogram for Indy women living in poverty, please visit www.indyhealthnet.org.