Profiles/Success Stories

Good Samaritan Clinic
Breast Cancer Prevention, Screening and Diagnosis for Burke County’s Low-Income, Uninsured Population
Institution: Good Samaritan Clinic
Komen Grantee for two years

 A very precious lady came to our clinic with complaints of a large firm mass in her breast. We begin the process of care, teaching, and support through the Komen grant at Good Samaritan Clinic. She was sent to Blue Ridge Health Care, also a grant recipient, for a diagnostic mammogram and other studies based on clinical findings. As expected, the mammogram was suspicious and other studies indicated metastatic disease. With continued support and care we contacted Catawba County Health Department, a Komen grant recipient and coordinator of the state supported Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program for Catawba and Burke Counties. They were able to enroll our lady in the state program which would make her eligible of medicaid if biopsy confirmed our fears of breast cancer. Her next stop was to a surgeon scheduled through Good Samaritan Clinic. Surgery took place at Blue Ridge Healthcare and supported early clinical findings. Breast cancer had begun to spread.

Medicaid was in place and treatment was quickly initiated. At a later contact this patient was seeking to have some decaying teeth removed to start part of her treatment. Our volunteer dentist at Good Samaritan initiated care and a local oral surgeon was contacted to complete the necessary care. At last contact, the patient was continuing to feel good and attempting to get dentures through her medicaid; stating she "just wanted to be able to SMILE"

Yes, Komen helps bring smiles in Burke County.

Fitness Plus at Catawba Valley Medical Center
Yoga for Breast Cancer Survivors
Komen Grantee for two years
(828)326-3680 for more information

Yoga for Breast Cancer Survivors is a class that complements our cancer rehabilitation program, Strides to Recovery.  Yoga is a necessary component to our holistic approach to fighting cancer and achieving full recovery.  

Judy has been a Yoga participant since April 2009.  Here is her comment about the program.“My name is Judy and I am so fortunate to have a Yoga class especially for breast cancer survivors. I like this class because I am more flexible than I have ever been. My balance is better, scars have loosened up and I feel gooooood when I leave class. And I can't say enough about our instructor. She is also a breast cancer survivor and a nurse. She knows how to modify moves according to people's abilities. Some have knee problems, back problems or the recovery from surgery is still new. Thank you so much for giving us the support we need.”

Blue Ridge HealthCare Systems
HOPE for the Uninsured Population
Komen Grantee for 10 years

We recently had a patient call our office who had worked in the furniture industry all her life. At the age of 56 the furniture company she worked for had moved to another country and this patient was left with no medical insurance. Her husband was on disability due to heart problems. She had been a responsible person all her life and would never have gone without insurance;however, due to circumstances beyond her control, she was left without insurance and without a job.

Having a strong family history of breast cancer, she was alarmed when she found a palpable lump in her breast and had not had a mammogram in three years. Someone told her about the Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and she called Blue Ridge HealthCare. She was able to get a biopsy with Komen helping pay for the procedures she needed. The biopsy was benign. This patient is now back at work, has insurance, and helps every year with the Komen Foundation Race For The Cure.