"I wish I could show you, when you are lonely or in darkness, the astonishing Light of your own Being.
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Programs and Accomplishments
WOFAH offers women several ongoing programs and services in support of its mission:
• Self-help groups: Free monthly support group meetings offer information, peer support, encouragement and renewal through presentations by survivors. Monthly Philadelphia meetings are held at Canaan Baptist Church (5430 Pulaski Ave.), Center in the Park (5818 Germantown Ave.), Jones Memorial Baptist Church (20th and Dauphin St.) and Mercy Hospital (501 South 54th St.). Accomplishments - Approximately 1242 women have participated in WOFAH’s self-help support groups in 2009.
• Community Outreach and Education: Presentations and information presented at health fairs, community events, schools, senior centers and churches, as well as literature sent monthly.
Accomplishments – WOFAH maintains a current mailing list of over 1,500 women.
• Support Services: Encouragement, information and assistance in the form of phone calls, hospital visits, home visits, cards, flowers and small gifts to women diagnosed with breast cancer.
Accomplishments - In 2009, WOFAH supported 773 breast cancer patients.
• Special Events: WOFAH hosted an annual conference – Celebration of Life: Sisters Surviving Breast Cancer. Through focus groups, seminars, and panel discussions, this event unites breast cancer survivors, health care professionals, politicians, community activists, and others to discuss breast health. Accomplishments - In October 2009, 500 women attended this event.
• Parish Nursing Program: Our new Parish Nursing Program has nine certified Breast Self Examination Instructors, four of them certified in 2009. These nine women are certified to work in churches and in the community. This comprehensive program identifies volunteers in the African-American community to receive Parish Nursing Certification from RN instructors. The volunteers then educate members of their community and connect those in need with the services WOFAH and its partners offer. Accomplishments - Parish nurses conducted a total of 32 educational and/or support programs on breast health, early detection and screening, and the importance of
mammograms.