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"We
are highlighting National Women's Health Week here in Illinois to
increase awareness and educate women about potentially
life-threatening diseases that are more likely to affect them," Gov.
Blagojevich said at a May 12 event at the Capitol. "We are proud to be one of only 15 states in the
country to have an Office of Women's Health to address these issues
and strengthen our commitment to improving the health of women
throughout the state." As part
of a daylong women's health fair in the Capitol rotunda,
the state celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Illinois Breast and
Cervical Cancer Program. The program provided nearly 19,000 women
with free screenings in fiscal 2004 and has served a total of 57,000
women since the inception of the program. The Illinois Department of
Public Health's Office of Women's Health contracts with 26 lead
agencies that work with 2,100 providers to offer free mammograms,
breast exams, Pap tests and pelvic exams to low-income women ages of
35-64 who have no health insurance. At the anniversary event all 26
lead agencies were presented with an award for their efforts.
Pamila Schmidt, 50, of Logan County
credits the program for saving her life. Two years ago, Schmidt's
daughter urged her to sign up for the program since she was
uninsured and needed a mammogram. Her free mammogram detected a
cancerous lump.
"If it was not for this program, I
would not be here today," Schmidt said. "My breast cancer was so
aggressive that I would have died if I didn't catch it early. So
many women go undiagnosed unnecessarily because they don't reach out
to programs like this for help." Schmidt was able to get her
treatment covered through Medicaid, and her oncologist recently gave
her a clean bill of health.
Louanner Peters, the governor's
deputy chief of staff for social services, spoke at the event in
Springfield to discuss the administration's commitment
to addressing women's health issues, from cardiovascular disease to
mandatory insurance coverage for birth control.
Last year, Gov. Blagojevich signed
landmark legislation that requires private insurance providers to
cover all FDA-approved birth control drugs and devices for not only
men, but women as well. To ensure women have access to the
contraceptives their doctors prescribe, he issued an emergency order
in early April that requires pharmacies that sell contraceptives to
fill orders for birth control without delay. The governor's action
came in response to reports that some Illinois women with signed
prescriptions for FDA-approved birth control were turned away at a
pharmacy.
Since taking office, Gov.
Blagojevich has proven women's health is a priority by adding an
additional $4 million in state funding to support breast and
cervical cancer screening and education. The administration's
support for community and faith-based groups, such as the Stand
Against Cancer Initiative, resulted in 7,500 screenings. The
initiative works to target the hardest-to-reach minority women
throughout Illinois by partnering with neighborhood organizations,
churches and federally qualified health centers. In fiscal 2005 the
total amount of funds supporting breast and cervical cancer programs
is $11.45 million, including $6.15 million in state dollars. Over
the last two years, investments toward breast and cervical cancer
screening and education programs in Illinois total more than $21
million. Gov. Blagojevich also signed legislation in December
creating a 12-member Cervical Cancer Elimination Task Force to help
educate the public about cervical cancer and develop a statewide
comprehensive prevention and control plan.
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"We are making great strides in
addressing women's health issues, with the support and commitment of
Gov. Blagojevich," said Dr. Eric E. Whitaker, state public health
director. "The work he has done has allowed us to aggressively
respond to women's health concerns with educational tools, access to
cancer screenings for low-income women and implementing programs
that make a difference."
Another health issue facing women is the No. 1 killer, heart
disease. According to 2002 Illinois data, nearly 22,000 females died
from cardiovascular disease, which includes heart disease and
stroke. The Illinois Department of Public Health has provided
funding to local health departments and community-based agencies for
the development of cardiovascular programs like the Heart Smart for
Women Program, a 12-week program that helps women improve nutrition
and increase physical activity. Some 3,000 women will benefit as a
result.
The Department of Public Health has
also expanded the Well-Integrated Screening and Evaluation for Women
Across the Nation program to 20 Illinois counties, so women in the
Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program now have the opportunity
to reduce their risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. The
expanded program, known as WISEWOMAN, aims to lower heart disease
and other chronic disease risk factors through screening and a
lifestyle intervention program that guides women toward healthier
eating and adequate exercise.
The department kicked off its own
Public Health Out Walking campaign to encourage employees to stay
active and healthy. Dr. Whitaker challenges Department of Public
Health employees to take 10,000 steps per day during a 12-week
period.
Another important health issue women
need to be aware of is osteoporosis. An estimated 10 million
Americans over the age of 50 have osteoporosis, and one in two women
over 50 will suffer a fracture because of osteoporosis sometime
during their lives. Osteoporosis can be prevented by getting
adequate amounts of calcium and exercise starting at an early age.
Illinois' Building Bones Program, a grant program offered through
local health departments and community-based agencies, educates and
provides screenings to women for risk assessment. The program allows
nearly 7,000 women to be educated about osteoporosis. This year, the
Department of Public Health will take its awareness campaign a step
further by working on a pilot project with elementary, junior high
and high school students. The students will have an opportunity to
learn more about the importance of exercise and the health benefits
of calcium.
In April 2004, Gov. Blagojevich
launched the Illinois Healthy Women program under the Department of
Public Aid. The free program offers low-income women who are leaving
the Medicaid program the tools to prevent unplanned pregnancies and
to assist in making a successful transition from welfare to work. As
of Nov. 5, 2004, more than 80,000 women have participated in the
program.
To learn about these programs and
more, the Illinois Department of Public Health invited women's
health exhibitors to hand out informational materials at the James
R. Thompson Center in Chicago on May 10, in addition to the
Springfield event on May 12.
For more information on women's
health and programs offered through the Department of Public Health,
visit
www.idph.state.il.us or call (888)
522-1282. The TTY number, for hearing-impaired use only, is (800)
547-0466.
[News release from the governor's
office] |
