Through the project, "Hereditary Breast Cancer: Increasing Awareness and Reducing Barriers of Access in the Low Income Arab-American Community," more at-risk, low-income Arab-American women in the metro Detroit area will receive the education they need about hereditary breast cancer.

CHP Dean Suzanne Mellon and Ahmad Hammad, director of the Arab Community Health and Research Center of ACCESS (Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services), have taken the lead to increase the knowledge and awareness of breast cancer risk and inform the public about cancer genetic counseling services for at-risk individuals in the Arab-American community in southeastern Michigan. The project is supported by the Susan G. Komen Detroit Race for the Cure® and its local presenting sponsor, the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute.

Beginning in late September 2007, Mellon and Hammad will screen 500 Arab-American women for hereditary breast cancer risk through the Karmanos Cancer Institute and ACCESS; of this number, an estimated 5-10 percent will receive genetic counseling.

"According to medical reports, breast cancer is the leading cause of death for Arab-American women," Mellon explains. "With a grant from the Susan G. Komen Detroit Race for the Cure®, we believe we can help educate many more in the area's Arab-American community, the largest population outside of the Middle-East."

The program plans to address three major objectives by offering culturally-appropriate hereditary cancer risk booklets (bilingual and bicultural) and outreach services that address risk:

• Inclusion of family members and available surveillance options;
• A comprehensive training program to health outreach workers and health providers that includes initial hereditary breast cancer risk assessment and history taking; and
• Provide assessment for women at risk for hereditary breast cancer and provide genetic counseling to those women who would otherwise not have access to these services. This outreach will emphasize the importance of knowing your family history, what can be done to lower breast cancer risk and what hereditary breast cancer actually is and how to identify it. Additionally, over 5,000 booklets will be distributed throughout the local community to increase hereditary breast cancer awareness.

This year's Komen Detroit Race for the Cure® will be held June 16 at Comerica Park. Information and online registration can be found at www.karmanos.org/detroitraceforthecure.

For more information on the screening project, contact ACCESS at 313-216-2200.