WHAT:	Chicago Breast Cancer Summit: A Call to Action to Improve Breast Cancer Outcomes in Chicago and Nationally In response to a report issued in October 2006 that made local and national headlines about the alarming disparities in breast cancer mortality rates between African-American women and white women in Chicago, a Citywide Task Force has gathered an unprecedented number of Chicago health care providers, cancer experts, and public health officials to take part in an all-day breast cancer summit to tackle the issue. Cancer care experts will deliver presentations and participate in working sessions addressing the three possible causes for disparities: differences in the quality of mammography screenings for African-American and white women, differences in access to timely screenings and treatment and differences in the quality of breast cancer treatment. The Chicago Breast Cancer Task Force is chaired by several of Chicago’s most prominent public health leaders: Ruth Rothstein, former Chief of the Cook County Bureau of Health Services; Sister Sheila Lyne, RSM, CEO of Mercy Medical Center and past Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Health; and Donna Thompson, CEO of Access Community Health Network. Dr. John Ayanian from Harvard University, one of the nation’s foremost national experts on racial disparities and how they relate to quality health care and treatment, will present a keynote address. Avon Foundation, already a prominent contributor to breast cancer research and care across the city and nationwide, is providing funding to support the work of the Chicago Breast Cancer Task Force. The Summit is being underwritten by the Avon Foundation, Sigmund E. Edelstone Fund and the Michael Reese Health Trust.
WHERE:	Rush University Medical Center Armour Academic Facility, Room 976 600 South Paulina St., Chicago, IL 60612
WHEN:	Friday, March 23, 2007, 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. 9-9:30 a.m.: State of the Problem 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.: Presentations on Access to Mammography, Quality of Mammography and Quality of Breast Cancer Treatment 10:45-noon: Panel Discussion Noon-1:30 p.m., Keynote by Dr. John Ayanian 1:30-3 p.m.: Working Groups
WHO:	Donna Thompson, RN, CEO, Access Community Health Network Sheila Lyne, RSM, CEO of Mercy Medical Center, past Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health—Co-Chair Ruth Rothstein, former Chief of the Cook County Bureau of Health Services David Ansell, MD, MPH, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, Rush Medical Center Steve Whitman, Ph.D., Director, Sinai Urban Health Institute John Ayanian, MD, MPP, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard School of Public Health Marc Hurlbert, Ph.D., Scientific Director of the Avon Foundation Breast Cancer Crusade Y-Me, Susan Komen Foundation and the American Cancer Society Chicago Department of Public Health Illinois Department of Public Health And other leading cancer experts, universities, research centers and health care professionals from the across city, state and region
BACKGROUND:	In October 2006, the Sinai Urban Health Institute released a groundbreaking study on alarming disparities in breast cancer mortality rates between African-American and white women in Chicago. The findings were astonishing, demonstrating that the breast cancer mortality rate for African-American women in Chicago is 68% higher than that of white women, a disparity that can not be explained by genetics alone. The report dramatically illustrates that while advances in mammography screening and breast cancer treatment in Chicago have benefited white women over the last 22 years, these advances have not helped reduce breast cancer mortality for African-American women. The report is a wake up call to the entire medical community that more needs to be done to improve breast cancer awareness, access, screening and treatment. This historic summit marks a turning point in broad collaboration among leaders in the health care industry in addressing health crises, nationally and locally. The findings were published in the October 2006 National Health Journal and will be featured this month in Cancer Causes and Control.