The Indiana Breast Cancer Awareness Trust (IBCAT) has granted $42,240 to the Franciscan Health Foundation to enhance breast cancer support services, including free screenings, diagnostics, and material aid for low-income women across Indiana.
The funding aims to assist women facing financial barriers in accessing timely breast cancer care and essential resources during treatment.
The largest portion of the grant, $16,140, will fund breast cancer screenings and diagnostic services for women earning up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level who lack adequate insurance coverage.
These services are available at multiple Franciscan Health locations, including Michigan City, Chesterton’s Women’s Center, Munster Cancer Center, Crown Point’s Breast Care Center, and the Catherine McAuley Clinic in Hammond.
Additional grants totaling $26,100 will support post-diagnosis assistance for women living at or below 350 percent of the federal poverty level.
Specifically, $10,600 will fund services at Michigan City and Chesterton, $8,000 at Indianapolis Cancer Center and Mooresville, and $7,500 throughout Lake County at various Franciscan Health facilities and Hammond’s Catherine McAuley Clinic.
These post-diagnosis services include crucial aid such as food, transportation, and housing support to improve patient well-being during treatment.
Since its inception in 2002, the Breast Cancer Awareness special group recognition license plate has generated more than $5 million in competitive grants, enabling tens of thousands of Indiana women to obtain vital screening, diagnostic, and support resources.
Additionally, over $80,000 in scholarships has been awarded to college students impacted by a parent’s breast cancer diagnosis.
IBCAT’s mission centers on increasing awareness and expanding access to breast cancer care throughout Indiana. Residents can support these efforts by purchasing the special recognition license plate at Bureau of Motor Vehicles branches or online. Of the $40 annual fee, $25 is a tax-deductible donation that directly funds breast cancer services.
The license plate initiative was inspired by the late Nancy Jaynes, a Plymouth High School teacher and breast cancer advocate who passed away in 2008. Her enduring vision of the license plate as a moving reminder of the importance of early detection continues to impact countless Hoosiers today.
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