Amelia Biscardi
Mar 22, 2024
Thriving Pink received a $64,000 grant from Dignity Health. This grant is specifically for its ProsperROSA program which is collaborating with the Winters Healthcare clinic to provide support for women in the area.
Thriving Pink is a Yolo County nonprofit agency that focuses on supporting breast cancer fighters and survivors. Its ProsperROSA program focuses on education, screening and supporting the Latina community.
According to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, every two minutes a woman in the U.S. is diagnosed with breast cancer, making it the most common cancer.
One of the ways that ProsperROSA helps is by identifying women within communities like Winters who are considered high risk for breast cancer. Then they can get those considered high-risk earlier screenings and even genetic testings. Thriving Pink provides these genetic tests in collaboration with UC Davis Health.
Rosa Gutierrez, a Population Health Coach at Winters Healthcare, explained how breast cancer hit closer to home for her.
“We lost someone very close to us — like a cousin of mine — a couple of years ago to breast cancer. She was so young, she was 40,” Gutierrez said. “That kind of was an awakening for my family and we kind of all (...) made the effort to go get screenings and our genetic testing done.”
Gutierrez has been volunteering and helping with Thriving Pink for a while now and started helping at a mammogram event. She notes that those who aren’t aware of the reality of breast cancer don’t always realize how important screenings can be.
“I understand that sometimes patients may not know or may not know the power that education is or like, the power of screening and the importance of it,” Gutierrez said. “Sometimes just educating them on what they are being tested for. And also encouraging them to go get their screenings.”
Thriving Pink prioritizes outreach in the local communities in a myriad of ways. Jodi Rubin, Chair of Thriving Pink’s Board of Directors, shared insight on working within Winters.
“We do outreach in Winters and generally around breast cancer,” Rubin said. We (have) worked with some of the students at the high school. We did their capstone project on breast cancer. So you know, we do outreach in the community and we have a relationship with Winters.”
One of the ways the two organizations have been working together is through a provision from Thriving Pink of their comfort bags.
“Honestly, the moment when someone is diagnosed like you’re telling them for the first time that they have breast cancer, it’s big,” Gutierrez said. “It’s a big thing to take in. (...) There’s just so many emotions going through their mind in the moment and you show up with this cute little bag and there’s all these little nice resources in there, reminding them that they’re not alone.”
Winters Healthcare uses Promotoras to reach the Hispanic community. Promotoras are community members trained in health care education who work to get the word out. Thriving Pink plans to support that with their grant and community assistance.
One of the things the Promotoras can do is encourage early screenings. Additionally, they support those who are uninsured with resources to get medical care paid for.
Rubin said they encourage women to get mammograms and act as a connector to get them tested.
“We identify women who need mammograms, we can connect them either with mammogram clinics or with Every Woman Counts California,” Rubin said. “(It) has funding for mammograms for women. So we will try to identify people who have not been screened.”
For Gutierrez, who ended up getting tested early — it was a big deal.
“I remember being terrified to find out. I thought about that test forever,” Gutierrez said. I didn’t want to do it. But like, when I realized, how important it was for us to be educated, and yeah, education is power, right? It’s a big tool.”
While the grant is new and Thriving Pink is working on the groundwork, they plan on continuing their mission to support those who have had or who are at risk for breast cancer.
Gutierrez recommends any member of the community who is worried about breast cancer top come in and make an appointment at Winters Healthcare.
“Feel free to ask questions, it doesn’t hurt really to get the information,” Gutierrez said.
Gutierrez also notes that a lot of Winters Healthcare staff are bilingual and hopes that makes Spanish speakers more comfortable there. Winters Healthcare public hours are available online at wintershealth.org/contactus.
“When you go into a facility and you see a familiar face, or you see someone who speaks your language, it helps,” Gutierrez said. “And it helps you feel more comfortable and like, you open up more, right? So that’s our hope with our patients that they see someone who speaks their language and we can help them navigate the resources.”
Rubin said they can support those with breast cancer with a myriad of resources.
“Our vision is that no one goes through breast cancer alone,” Rubin said. “We’re super committed to making sure that we are out and connected.”
Some of the other resources Thriving Pink provides for those with or recovering from breast cancer are workshops, both in person and over Zoom as well as events and support groups.
For more information, send an email to prosperosa@thrivingpink.org or info@thrivingpink.org.