Susan G. Komen for the Cure Arkansas Affiliate recently handed out 21 grants totaling $1,195,759 to Arkansas organizations. Baxter Regional Medical Center was awarded a grant of $88,955 for its program, Mobile Mammography Unit Outreach, which will allow the BRMC Mobile Mammography Unit to travel to remote areas and workplaces in Baxter County and surrounding counties.

This year marks the 17th for the Komen organization to award grants to programs around the state who are working in the fight against breast cancer. The Komen Arkansas Affiliate first awarded grants totaling $78,700 in 1994. This year the largest grant totaled $268,028, and the smallest was $5,245. Other grants were awarded to breast cancer-related programs in Batesville, Conway, Corning, Jonesboro, Lake Village, Little Rock, Mena, Paragould, Pine Bluff, Searcy and Wynne.

"We are fortunate in Arkansas to have the support of so many for Race for the Cure," said Sherrye McBryde, Susan G. Komen for the Cure Arkansas Affiliate executive director. "The efforts of our race participants, volunteers, and sponsors allow us to provide funding to our outstanding grantees. They enable us to work toward fulfilling our promise to end breast cancer forever. While we are delighted with this year's results, many worthy programs go unfunded. Our goal for 2011 is to raise more funds to assist even more women throughout the state.

"Our grants have become more crucial than ever," said McBryde. "The BreastCare program administered through the Department of Health in the past has covered 14,000 women with free mammograms. It will provide only 8,000 this year, over 1,600 fewer than last year. Our grant money is often the only source for the women being turned away by BreastCare."

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