The American Cancer Society, in collaboration with Fashion Fair Cosmetics and several national Black civic organizations, has launched the Shades of Strength Breast Cancer Awareness Initiative. This initiative aims to enhance access to information and resources about breast cancer prevention and early detection for Black women. It employs a three-pronged approach, including panels, webinars, and collaborations, to educate individuals about the disease and raise awareness about the best avenues for quality care.
Black women encounter unique challenges when it comes to cancer diagnosis. According to the American Cancer Society report Cancer Facts and Figures for African American/Black People 2022–2024, breast cancer ranks among the most commonly diagnosed cancers in this demographic. Notably, Black women face a 41 percent higher mortality rate than White women and are more likely to receive diagnoses for aggressive forms of the disease at younger ages. Given these disparities, improving access to screenings for early detection and prevention of breast cancer among Black women is crucial. However, many Black women still lack the necessary resources to fully understand the impact of their disease. Through the Shades of Strength initiative, partnering organizations aim to extend the initiative’s reach to their communities and provide Black women with the resources available through the American Cancer Society. This collaborative effort seeks to empower Black women with knowledge and support to navigate the challenges of breast cancer.
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The Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) was founded in 1988. The organization represents managed care pharmacy professionals, promoting optimized medication therapy to improve health outcomes.
In 2023, AMCP recorded a number of achievements. They included: Releasing a white paper on disparities in opioid use disorder treatment AMCP’s Health Disparities Advisory Group released a white paper identifying the health disparities in treating people with opioid use disorder. The paper also made recommendations on correcting these disparities and dispelled common myths about treatment. Launching inaugural “Access, Affordability, and Outcomes” report AMCP unveiled the report in October to shed light on the roles of managed care pharmacy professionals in advancing cost-effective care to people in marginalized areas. The report clearly showed their contributions in enabling access to effective therapies while reducing therapy costs. Promoting health equity AMCP launched the MCP Health Equity Action Briefs series. The series spotlights the factors contributing to health disparities. They include race, ethnicity, language, disability, and social determinants of health. AMCP analyzes each factor in a separate brief, giving both an overview of its nature and its impact. It then outlines existing standards that managed care pharmacy professionals should follow and highlights opportunities to address barriers to care. Holding AMCP 2023 In March 2023, AMCP brought together industry professionals to explore transformative healthcare trends like specialty medication and the biosimilar boom. Attendees learned about generic medications’ growing role, and the current impact of spending on cancer drugs. The American Cancer Society (ACS) provides individuals living with cancer and their families with a depth of support and services, including ACS Community Access to Resources, Education, and Support (CARES). The service was designed with the understanding that receiving a cancer diagnosis can be an overwhelming period for a person and those they are close with.
ACS CARES combines and streamlines several services so that individuals can prepare for the next steps. Offerings include medical information and one-on-one counseling. Resources are available through the ACS website, cancer.org, or the ACS CARES mobile app. After accessing the ACS Cares network, individuals enter personal and medical information. The app will subsequently update as users age and their condition changes, allowing for highly personalized support. The ACS CARES app also makes it easier than ever to reach a trained ACS staff member. Experts are available 24 hours per day, seven days per week. They can direct individuals to specific services or provide general support. The CARES network provides further support in the form of in-clinic meetings with community, student, and clinic volunteers. Users can become CARES volunteers themselves by using the app to reach out to others at similar stages in their medical journeys. You can use the fee-for-service (FFS) or a managed care plan to access medical services, including the pharmacy. The former enables you to access services from any provider that accepts Medicaid, Medicare, or private insurance. However, managed care plans have more stringent rules to access medical care services. Examples of these plans include health maintenance organizations (HMO), exclusive provider organization (EPO), preferred provider organization (PPO), and point of service plan (POS).
One type of managed care plan is the HMO, where those enrolled can only access in-network providers and only receive out-of-network services in case of emergencies. You are required to choose a primary care physician within the HMO network after enrolling. Depending on your condition, the physician refers you to specialists within the network. The EPO entails service exclusively within the network. Out-of-network services only cover emergencies and require prior authorization. However, the primary difference with HMO is that EPO enrollees do not choose the primary physician. Also, you do not need referrals to see a specialist. Thirdly, PPO allows you to seek out-of-network medical services. However, the plan only funds 70 to 80 percent of the permitted total service cost. You can choose the primary care physician, and you are not required to be referred to see a specialist. Some services require prior authorization or approval from the plan. Lastly, POS combines the features of the HMO and PPO. It allows you to seek out-of-network services, but you pay a significant amount unless referred by your primary care physician. Also, you choose a primary care physician, though a referral to a specialist is not required. Walking is a free, healthy activity that is easy to add to a daily routine. Walking is one of the most potent ways to keep fit and enjoy a healthy life. Taking regular long walks offers numerous benefits.
Walking opens the leg capillaries, enhancing blood flow. During long walks, oxygen and nutrients from the blood flow freely into the essential organs and tissues of the body. The walking motion causes the leg muscles to contract and relax, squeezing the veins and promoting blood flow. Long walks also improve lung health. On long walks, the breathing rate increases, which promotes oxygen flow into the bloodstream and increases the lung's ability to take in more oxygen. Walking is also effective in lowering blood pressure in people with hypertension. Walking reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke by making the heart pump more blood. This increased heart activity keeps the arteries and blood vessels active and fit, promoting heart health. The American Cancer Society (ACS) is an organization driven by the goal to completely eradicate cancer. The organization has been at the forefront of improving the lives of people living with cancer for over a century. They do this through advocacy, research, and patient support initiatives.
The ACS has launched a new breast cancer awareness initiative that will focus on expanding breast cancer prevention and early detection awareness, education, and support for women who are Black. The ACS has partnered with various other notable organizations to launch this initiative. These include Fashion Fair Cosmetics, as well as and national Black civic and social organizations Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., National Council of Negro Women, Inc., Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., The Black Women’s Agenda, Inc., The Links Incorporated, and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. The collaboration with these various organizations is part of the ACS’ commitment to closing the health equity gap and addressing the high risk of cancer-related deaths in the Black community. Ellen Scharaga has in-depth experience in executive roles in the pharmaceutical industry, most notably as director and senior vice president of operations at OncoMed Pharmaceutical Services. Currently an executive director of Alegria Health and Wellness, Ellen Scharaga is committed to supporting high-quality pharmacy services for New York City’s South Bronx community. She maintains membership with professional organizations that include the Pharmacists’ Society of the State of New York (PSSNY).
The PSSNY was established in 1879 to represent professional pharmacists. Pharmacists in New York, and in the country generally, are among the most trusted professionals, in part due to their clear dedication to standards and ethics. The various academies that make up the PSSNY have received accreditation from the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education and, as such, are able to offer thousands of hours of continuing education annually to the profession. The group of PSSNY professional academies includes the Academy of Clinical Pharmacists, supporting the work of members in clinical practice in hospitals or other healthcare institutions, as well as the Academy of Pharmacy Management and the Academy of Manufacturer Representatives. Other academies focus on the needs of pharmacy students, pharmacy technicians, and retired pharmacists. The Academy of IV, Nuclear & Compounding Pharmacists targets educational opportunities for these highly specialized groups. Certification programs facilitated through the PSSNY include units on patient-focused diabetes care, immunization, and management of medication therapeutics. Ellen Scharaga is an accomplished health care specialist with over three decades of experience. Over the course of her career she has worked for multiple pharmaceutical companies, including Alegria Specialty Pharmacy, where she has served as an operational consultant since 2014. Besides her work, Ellen Scharaga supports the American Cancer Society.
The American Cancer Society seeks to eliminate cancer and promote healthier lifestyles through research and advocacy. As part of its mission, the American Cancer Society created the Road to Recovery program, which offers transportation services to cancer patients who don’t have a car, or are not able to drive themselves. The program includes transporting patients to and from medical facilities. To qualify for the program, a patient needs to be traveling to a cancer-related appointment. Individual needs are considered, including the type of local ride services in an area, in order to connect a beneficiary to an American Cancer Society volunteer driver. For patients who’re unable to walk on their own or are under 18 years of age, the services of a caregiver may be needed. Applicants should apply early, as it may take several days before a ride can successfully be arranged. Ellen Scharaga has worked in the pharmaceutical industry for over two decades. She is an operational consultant at Alegria, a specialty pharmacy in Manhasset, New York. In her free time, Ellen Scharaga loves to walk to keep fit.
If you have decided to start walking to lose excess weight, you might think that your walks need to be fast for you to burn enough calories to see a difference in your weight after some time. However, several studies have found that if you’re obese, walking at a slower than normal pace can help you safely and sustainably lose more weight when you start walking. According to the studies, walking 2 miles at a slow pace for an hour can have greater weight loss benefits than walking 3 miles at your normal pace for an hour. The explanation for this is when you slow down you don’t have walking momentum, which means your body uses more energy to enable you to take each step. The extra effort it takes to walk is what makes you lose more calories. You don’t only burn more calories walking slower when you start walking to lose weight. Walking at a slower than normal pace also protects you from injury. If you start walking fast immediately you’ll be putting a lot of pressure on your knees and joints, which could lead to an injury, or worse, arthritis. A resident of Melville, New York, Ellen Scharaga is an operational consultant at Alegria Specialty Pharmaceuticals. At Alegria, Ellen Scharaga assists in the development of new innovative specialty medications that manage chronic conditions such as HIV, hepatitis C, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis.
Arthritis is a medical condition that mostly affects the joints in the hands, feet, knees, and lower back, causing them to swell and become stiff. In most cases, moving the affected joint can be extremely painful, making it difficult to use your hands and feet normally. There are 100 plus types of arthritis, but the most common are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and gout. One of the causes of arthritis is old age. For example, osteoarthritis mostly affects people above the age of 50, and once you suffer from the disease, it can worsen as you age. If your family has a history of arthritis, you also have a higher chance of developing the disease. Other causes of arthritis are overuse of joints causing them to wear down, autoimmune disorders, obesity, and weak muscles. Arthritis has no cure, but it can be treated using pain relief drugs like hydrocodone, hydrotherapy, regular exercise, and surgery like knee or joint replacement. |