2022 ANNUAL REPORT
2022 IMPACT 1,751
1,191
1,071
264
# of Alabama breast cancer patients supported by Forge
# of medical appointments attended with Forge's help
# of times patients & caregivers attended Forge programs
# of free mental health counseling sessions provided by Forge
VALUE OF FINANCIAL SERVICES & ASSISTANCE
619
*
PATIENTS & CAREGIVERS
$10,231
GAS CARDS / LYFT RIDES TO GET 134 PATIENTS TO MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS
14
AVG. HOURS STAFF TIME PER PATIENT
$30 AVG. HOURLY NAVIGATOR RATE
$36,400
45 PATIENTS REFERRED TO MENTAL HEALTH & NUTRITION COUNSELING & 10 PARTICIPATED IN CASTING FOR RECOVERY RETREAT
$13,249
GROCERY CARDS & UTILITY ASSISTANCE T0 135 PATIENTS
$340,287 ESTIMATED VALUE OF FORGE'S TANGIBLE SUPPORT PROVIDED TO PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS IN 2022
* Subset of those supported - represents those who received financial assistance
GEOGRAPHIC GROWTH 660 % INCREASE IN GEOGRAPHIC FOOTPRINT With the closing of Susan G. Komen of North Central Alabama, Forge expanded our geographic footprint to serve those living across the state of Alabama. In 2022, we provided support and resources to those impacted by breast cancer in 38 counties, which represents 58% of the state.
BUT THAT'S NOT ALL... Forge is partnering with the State of Alabama over the next four years to improve health outcomes and quality of life for breast cancer patients across the entire state of Alabama. Forge received a grant from Alabama's American Rescue Plan to increase access to medical treatment and improve outcomes for the approximate 325,000 Alabamians who have been and will be impacted by breast cancer. Forge intends to focus on South Alabama and the Black Belt, which was disproportionately affected by Covid and its resulting restrictions in medical access.
HISPANIC PROGRAMS Hispanic women account for 29% of new breast cancer cases diagnosed each year, but research shows they are statistically less likely to receive their diagnosis when it’s at a local or regional stage. That means the cancer is more advanced when detected, which lowers their 5-year survival rate from 85% to 32%. There are several reasons why many cases of breast cancer aren’t found or treated in early stages, one reason is the language barrier, which often gets in the way of finding and accessing quality care. To address this, Forge's new team member, Ana Emaldi, focuses on serving the Spanish-speaking community. Ana builds relationships with other organizations serving Spanish-speaking women and encourages native Spanish speakers to trust and use Forge’s services to both improve their quality of life and their medical outcomes. She consults with our Spanish-speaking clients to provide a plethora of resources, like gas cards to get to and from medical treatment, grocery cards to help with nutrition, free mental health care in Spanish, and educational classes in Spanish to address physical and mental health. She also launched a monthly Spanish Breast Cancer Support Group to provide regular community and support.
Proper nutrition is an important part of treatment and recovery for breast cancer patients and survivors. Some have very little trouble during treatment, but others have increased needs for nutrients, such as protein and calories to promote healing after surgery or treatment. Some patients struggle with weight gain after treatment – maybe due to the medications they were on or how the body handled changes after treatment. Maintaining a healthy weight is an important aspect of decreasing your risk for cancer recurrence so working with an oncology dietician will help you learn the tools to improve health long-term. To address these needs, Forge has contracted with Donna Vaughn, RD, an oncology registered dietician with over 20 years of experience, to meet one-one-one with our clients to help create an individualized nutrition plan.
NUTRITION CONSULTING
Held in October, Forge's premiere fundraising event, Haute Pink, honors and celebrates those we serve as well as all breast cancer survivors in our state. Designed to Inspire, this event features ten of Forge's clients and volunteers who share their stories and model outfits created for them by local fashion designers. Mark your calendar for October 12, 2023 for next year's event!
HAUTE PINK
CASTING FOR RECOVERY
In 2022, Forge partnered with Casting for Recovery to provide a flyfishing retreat for members of our Young Breast Cancer Support Group at Camp McDowell. Why fly-fishing? For women who have had surgery or radiation as part of their breast cancer treatment, the motion of fly casting can be good physical therapy and increase mobility. Couple that with the emotional benefits of connecting with nature, and you’ve got powerful medicine. In the words of one of our participants, "We received fly-fishing certificates, but we really received so much more. We found friendship and a community of people who wanted us to succeed."
In the spring of 2022, Forge collaborated with Ascension St. Vincent's to facilitate a 4-week educational series focusing on how nutrition and exercise can maximize quality of life for cancer survivors and their loved ones. Each week, participants in Surviving Well: Wellness Classes after a Cancer Diagnosis took part in wellness education, hands-on cooking demonstrations taught by Laura Rutledge, Registered Dietician, and yoga therapy taught by Ashley Clarke of Earthkeeper Yoga. Classes met in-person each Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Lakeshore Foundation.
SURVIVING WELL
FORGE STAFF
Janet Dees Client Services
Ana Emaldi Hispanic Services & Outreach
Jinida Holt Volunteer & Support
Nirali Patel Forge Intern
Alaina Pineda VP Strategic Initiatives
Lauren Roberts Executive Director
Meg Lovett Community Outreach
Angie Wood Hospitality & Programs
LEADERSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Susan Sellers President United Ability
Robin DeMonia Secretary Direct Communications
Christy Parrozzo Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Alabama
Dorothy Pak Treasurer UAB Health System
Kerry Schrader Mixtroz
Javacia Harris Bowser See Jane Write
Dr. Charles Shumate Retired Breast Surgeon
Jordan DeMoss UAB Health System
Marie Sutton Birmingham Mayor's Office
Ruby Fenton Wells Fargo
Lauren Roberts Ex Officio
LEADERSHIP TEAM
Wayne CarmelloHarper Ascension St. Vincent's
Jordan DeMoss UAB Health System
Kevin Flynn Brookwood Baptist Health
Ashley Mathews Grandview Medical Center
Christopher Nanni Community Foundation Greater Birmingham
CLINICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE Kris Boone, RT(R)(M) Ascension St. Vincent's Kathryn Bowden, JD, MEd Oasis Counseling William C. Braswell, MD, FACS Shelby Baptist Medical Center Timothy Bullock, MD, FACS Ascension St. Vincent's John Carpenter, MD UAB Health System, Retired
Beth Chandler, PT, CLT Grandview Medical Center Jennifer De Los Santos, MD Grandview Medical Center Kristi Denny, RT(R)(M), ARRT BN-CI Grandview Medical Center Nicholas Dionne-Odom, RN, ACHPN UAB Health System Madeline Harris, RN, MSN UAB Health System, Retired
Jennifer Hicks, MSHA, MBA UAB Health System Louis Josof Ascension St. Vincent's Katia Khoury, MD UAB Health System Rachael Lancaster, MD, FACS UAB Health System Marsha Newton, BS, LBSW Princeton Baptist Medical Center
Luis F. Pineda, MD, MSHA Cooking with Cancer, Inc. Laura Rutledge, RDN, CSO Ascension St. Vincent's Carol Stephens, PC CLT-LANA Brookwood Baptist William A. Thompson III, MD, FACS Alabama Oncology Sandra Tincher, MD Brookwood Baptist
2022 PARTNERS
FORGE BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR CENTER 1321 19th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35205 www.forgeon.org North Alabama: (205) 838-6159 South Alabama: (251) 320-3088