FOSTER CITY, Calif.– Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) awarded $7.6 million in grant funding to 24 U.S.-based, community organizations through the newly created Toward Health Equity (THE) Oncology Grant™. The funding will support evidence-based interventions that address barriers to care and social determinants of health including patient navigator training, cultural competency training, and services combating barriers such as transportation.
“Gilead is committed to advancing health equity and supporting these vital patient advocacy organizations working to close gaps in breast cancer care,” said Deborah H. Telman, Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs and General Counsel, Gilead Sciences. “We believe our Toward Health Equity Oncology Grant awards contribute important new understanding to advance and care for anyone living with breast cancer. We look forward to seeing their dynamic, innovative programs come to life.”
Breast cancer affects more American women than any other type of cancer, besides skin cancer.1 But due to social, environmental, and economic disparities, people of color are at increased risk of developing or dying from breast cancer.2 In 2023, an estimated 300,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the U.S. and more than 43,000 women will die from breast cancer.3
The 2023 funding will support evidence-based interventions that focus on patient navigation and digital/mobile interventions to improve health equity. All 2023 grantees were chosen based on several criteria including their ability to create measurable and sustainable change toward health equity.
THE Oncology Grant builds on Gilead’s 2022 program, which provided $5.7 million in grants to 21 U.S. organizations for programs working to advance health equity for Black people impacted by triple-negative breast cancer. The new grantees serve historically neglected and underrepresented communities including Hispanic, Jewish, LGBTQIA, Indigenous American, and others, and will work to address access disparities in the treatment of breast cancer.
The 2023 THE Oncology Grant awardees include:
- Asociación Latina De Asistencia Y Prevención Del Cáncer De Mama
- Association of Community Cancer Centers
- Coalition of Blacks Against Breast Cancer
- Family Reach Foundation
- Franklin Square Hospital Center, Inc.
- George Washington University
- Harris County Hospital District Foundation
- Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center
- New Orleans Musicians Assistance Foundation
- Nueva Vida Inc.
- Patient Advocate Foundation Inc.
- Shanti Project Inc.
- Share Self-Help For Women With Breast Or Ovarian Cancer, Inc.
- Sharsheret Inc.
- Sisters Working It Out NFP
- St. Vincent Hospital
- Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
- The Ellie Fund
- UC Davis, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Center for Advancing Cancer Health Equity
- Vietnamese American Cancer Foundation
- Virtua Health Foundation, Inc.
- Women’s Cancer Care and Research Program (WeCARE) at UC Davis
- Women’s Cancer Resource Center
- Young Survival Coalition, Inc.
