C.E.A.S.E. (Changing Environment and Attitudes for Substance Elimination) is a non-tradition, culturally-specific, faith-based substance prevention/intervention program.

Why C.E.A.S.E?
Each year more African Americans die from diseases caused by smoking than, Murder, AIDS, Drug and Alcohol abuse and Car Crashes combined!

HEALTH AWARENESS – TOBACCO USE

Researches report that about 5.8 million or 22.6 percent of non-Hispanic Black adults smoked cigarettes compared to 21.8 percent of non-Hispanic whites. The CEASE Project is a culturally specific, faith-based substance abuse prevention program for African Americans. The CEASE Project recognizes that tobacco use is the national’s leading preventable cause of premature death.  We also recognize the need to prevent tobacco use among youth; educate adults about secondhand smoke and the effects particularly to children and youth who have asthma; and encourage smokers to quit smoking and live healthy productive lives.

Saving Our Sistas

What is SOS?
Saving Our Sistas (S.O.S.) is multidisciplinary culturally specific and faith-based prevention/intervention approach to promoting breast health education and early detection of breast cancer.  As an organization we utilize the following prevention strategies to reach the African American community: information dissemination (i.e., awareness campaigns, speaking engagements, and material distribution), education (i.e., breast health education classes), alternative activities (i.e., SOS Breast Cancer Luncheon, Komen for the Cure activities); community based process (i.e., community need assessment, coalition building) and problem identification and referral (i.e., mammogram screenings and support groups).

Did You Know?
An estimated 5.830 deaths from breast cancer are expected to occur among African American women in 2007. The 5 year survival rate for breast cancer diagnosed in 1996-2002 among African American women was 77% compared with 90% among whites. The reasons for this survival differential have been studied extensively. Poorer outcomes among African women persist even after accounting for socioeconomic status. Studies have documented unequal receipt of prompt, high quality treatment for African American women compared to white women.

Goal
Our Goal is to provide prevention and education services to 500 African American women ages 18 years and older and in Franklin County. We will provide mammogram screenings to 75 uninsured African American women ages 40 years and older in Franklin County. If a woman under 40 years of age has a family history of breast cancer, she will be referred to Mount Carmel for a medical assessment and if necessary a mammogram.

How to get involved
Saving Our Sistas is a powerful and positive way to become involved in the fight against breast cancer. Breast Cancer is a disease that strikes at random and for which the causes and cures are still unknown. The key to survival is early detection. We invite all women to join in with us to help fight this life threatening disease. “Saving Our Sistas” is an initiative that is targeted but not exclusive to African American women.

Contact
For a free mammogram and to find out how you and your church can get involved or for additional information please contact Joscelyn Clarke 614-231-9564.