SACRAMENTO – July 1, 2010 – Breast cancer survivors and advocates from all seven California Affiliates of Susan G. Komen for the Cure® signaled their alarm today at cuts to California’s Every Woman Counts program, the state’s breast and cervical cancer screening program for low-income uninsured and underserved women. The recently announced cuts effectively deny access to vital breast cancer screening services for 1.2 million women until further notice.

In November, the California Department of Health Care Services announced no new breast cancer screening enrollments would be accepted as of January 1, 2010, but the restriction was expected to be lifted at the start of the new fiscal year, today, July 1, 2010. The state also announced that women age 40 to 49 were no longer eligible for the program.

In California alone, 21,130 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year and more than 4,200 will lose their battle with the disease.

“We know the need will continue regardless of the ability of the state to meet it. Komen Affiliates will continue to do our part to meet the needs of underserved women; yet, these resources are extremely limited and not available in all areas. We cannot do this alone,” said Katie Parker. “Komen for the Cure and its Affiliates have long been concerned that one-third of women in the U.S. today — some 23 million — are already not receiving regular recommended screenings due to lack of access, education or awareness. Unfortunately, the decision to continue restricting access to the Every Woman Counts program makes the problem even worse.”

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