The Arkansas Affiliate of Susan G. Komen handed out 21 grants totaling over $900 thousand to Arkansas organizations. 1st Choice Healthcare was awarded a grant of $45,190.00 for its program entitled Breast Care Awareness Program. This year marks the 21st year for the Komen organization to award grants to programs around the state who are working in the fight against breast cancer. These funds are predominantly raised through the Race for the Cure® chaired in 2014 by Ashley Hurst. Also introduced was 2015 Race for the Cure ® Chair Jack Powell.
A total of $917,526 was granted. Also announced was $275,000 of money raised in Arkansas that will go directly into Komen National Research grants to find a cure for breast cancer.
We are always proud of the opportunity to help the women in our state with our grants,” said Arkansas Affiliate Executive Director Sherrye McBryde. “Our grants are a direct result of the hard work of our volunteers and the generosity of our supporters. The recipients of these funds were chosen because they reflect the commitment of the Arkansas Affiliate to assure the women of Arkansas get the vital breast health services they need. Additionally, $265,000 has been used for breast cancer research to help find the cure.”
The Komen Arkansas Affiliate first awarded grants totaling $78,700 in 1994. This year the largest grant totaled $159,501 and the smallest awarded was $8,955.
“We were so pleased to be able to raise almost $1 million dollars that will have a direct impact on the women and men of Arkansas fighting breast cancer,” says Komen Arkansas Board Chair Leila Dockery. “Whether they fight for someone they love, or fight for themselves, or for their mothers, grandmothers, aunts, or children, we join them in their efforts to eradicate this disease. We worked hard to earn this money and we are so proud to distribute to such trustworthy, valuable, impactful programs. We are also pleased to send $275,000 to Komen National for research. Our fight continues until a cure is found.”
The Affiliate also awarded its highest honor, the Hickingbotham Award for Service, to
Baxter Regional Medical Center (BRMC). BRMC has provided mobile mammography to the north central part of our state serving the underserved women since 2001. Their mobile mammography unit (MMU) has travel to factories, businesses, schools and places of worship to reach women who would not otherwise have received their mammogram. Their MMU is on the road almost every day, seeing an amazing 2700 patients each year. In a show of future commitment to their community, BRMC outfitted the MMU with 3D Tomosynthesis Imaging; making Baxter Regional the first MMU in the United States to provide this cutting edge technology. As a result of their innovative approach, they were invited to bring the MMU to Capitol Hill for viewing by Congress and New York City to be part of ringing the bell for the NASDAQ.
The Hickingbotham Award is named in honor of businessman Frank Hickingbotham and his family who were founding sponsors of the Arkansas Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.
During the meeting, the Komen Arkansas Affiliate inducted four new members to its Pink Ribbon Society: AY Magazine, Black Men United Race for the Cure Team, Craig O’Neill, and the Jonesboro Country Club Women’s PGA Golf Association. Honorary membership in the Pink Ribbon Society is based on community leadership in the area of breast health and breast health awareness and given to recognize significant contributions to the state to advance the mission of the Komen organization.
The Pink Ribbon Society is an honorary membership based on community leadership in the area of breast health and breast health awareness and given to recognize significant contributions to the state to advance the mission of the Komen organization.
Also awarded was the Promise of One Awards. Long time volunteers Edith Bowman and Jerry Keys.
The Promise of One Award, established in 2007 by Komen for the Cure national, is awarded to two local individuals each year in recognition of their exceptional volunteer contribution.

Grants awarded this year are:
∙ $159,501 to Greater Delta Alliance for Health in Lake Village/Pine Bluff for its “Access Project Pink/Reach Every Women” program
∙ $119,131 to Encore for Women’s Health in Little Rock for its “Encore Navigation Project”
∙ $82,240 to Baxter Regional Hospital Foundation in Mountain Home for its “Mobile Mammography Unit” program
∙ $80,698 to ARcare in Augusta for its “ARcare Comprehensive Breast” program
∙ $66,689 to St. Bernards in Jonesboro for its “Bringing Mobile Mammography to Your Community” program
∙ $50,000 to CHI St. Vincent Health Systems in Little Rock for its “Services to Breast Cancer Survivors” program
∙ $35,000 to CARTI in Little Rock for its “Access to Treatment-Overcoming Barriers” program
∙ $34,797 to CHI St. Vincent Breast Center in Little Rock for its “Targeted Screening, Diagnosis and Intervention” program
∙ $33,484 to White River Health System in Batesville for its “The Get Your Mammogram (GYM)” program
∙ $31,000 to Encore for Women’s Health in Little Rock for its “Direct Financial Assistance” program
∙ $31,000 to St. Bernards in Jonesboro for its “BreastAssured XI” program
∙ $25,518 to Baptist Health Foundation in Little Rock for its “Early Detection Program”
∙ $23,000 to Arkansas Hospice in North Little Rock for its “Funding Charitable Care Breast Cancer Hospice Patients” program
∙ $21,000 to CrossRidge Community Hospital in Wynne for its “Making Breast Health a Priority in Cross County” program
∙ $15,000 to Baptist Health Foundation in Little Rock for its “Positive Appearance Center” program
∙ $14,500 to SHARE Foundation DBA Interfaith Clinic in El Dorado for its “Interfaith Clinic Bridge to Diagnosis” program
∙ $14,281 to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock for its “Early Detection with Mobile 3D Mammography” program
∙ $13,500 to Baptist Health Foundation in Little Rock for its “Genetic Screening” program
∙ $13,042 to Ozark Health Medical Center in Clinton for its “Changing Lives Through Early Detection” program
∙ $8,955 to CHI St Vincent in Hot Springs for its “Mobile Mammography” program
Komen for the Cure was established as the Komen Foundation in 1982 by Nancy Brinker to honor the memory of her sister, Susan G. Komen, who died from breast cancer at the age of 36. Thanks to more than 75,000 volunteers dedicated to the fight against breast cancer, Komen for the Cure with its Affiliate Network is the world’s largest private funder of community-based breast health education and breast cancer screening and treatment programs. Together with its Affiliate Network, corporate partners and donors, Komen for the Cure has raised over one billion dollars for the fight against breast cancer.