Pictured above: Venus Williams was the keynote speaker at the 21st Mills-Peninsula Hospital Foundation Women’s Health Luncheon and Lecture. Photo by Drew Altizer Photography.

Tennis Star Venus Williams Teams Up with San Mateo Community to Advance Breast Cancer Care, Increase Access for Underserved Women

By Kathy Engle with Monique Binkley Smith, Vitals contributors

Venus Williams recently keynoted the 21st Mills-Peninsula Hospital Foundation Women’s Health Luncheon and Lecture, sharing her personal wellness journey and underscoring the importance of community supported healthcare. Upon taking the stage, the energy in the room was palpable, reminding her how important it is for women to be proactive about their health and have confidence to advocate for themselves.

“I know two people who were recently diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and I realized I don’t know any of the signs or symptoms, so education is so important at a grassroots level,” Williams shared. “What this group is doing to help educate and help marginalized groups learn the importance of preventive screenings is powerful.”

The Women’s Health Luncheon and Lecture has raised nearly $10 million since it began, bringing state-of-the-art cancer care to Sutter Mills-Peninsula Medical Center, and enabling its Women’s Center to become the first in the region to make 3D mammograms, also called tomosynthesis, standard for all women. Mills-Peninsula’s Women’s Center serves more than 32,000 patients each year, performing more than 23,000 screenings and diagnostic mammograms.

Sutter Health CEO Warner Thomas speaks to a guest at the Mills-Peninsula Hospital Foundation Women’s Health Luncheon & Lecture

Since making 3D breast tomosynthesis the standard, 81% of detected breast cancer cases at Mills-Peninsula have been found at stage 0 or stage 1. This is important because finding cancer early typically leads to better treatment outcomes.

Advanced technologies like automated breast ultrasound (ABUS) technology have also been supported by the luncheon and other community donors.

“Supplemental breast cancer screening with ultrasound has been increasingly used in women with dense breast tissue,” says Dr. Kelly C. Broderick, a radiologist with Mills-Peninsula Medical Group. “We have expanded our ABUS capabilities to provide high-resolution ultrasound images of all the breast tissue, which has been proven to detect additional breast cancers that are not visible on other imaging technologies.”

Increasing Access to Advanced Screening for Underserved Women

In the Silicon Valley, rates of invasive breast cancer have been 10-20 percent higher than the statewide rate, making this an “area of concern” as defined by the Public Health Institute. Unfortunately increasing numbers of low-income women in this area are also at risk for late detection—these cancers are often not diagnosed until it is too late for the most effective treatments. To address this, the Mills-Peninsula Hospital Foundation has designated money raised from the Women’s Health Luncheon and Lecture.

Also initiated through donor gifts to the luncheon is the Community Mammogram Program—the oldest community health partnership of its kind. Working in collaboration with the Bay Area Community Health Advisory Council, Mills-Peninsula provides free breast screenings for underserved women in San Mateo County. BACHAC and Mills-Peninsula recognized decades ago the importance of bridging healthcare gaps for underserved communities. BACHAC leverages established relationships in the community with nonprofits, churches and schools, to bring more services and healthcare education to the community.

“When the program started, mammograms were only offered on Sundays, but clients can now make appointments six days a week,” says Dr. Dorra Sellami, imaging director at the Mills-Peninsula Women’s Center. “We are truly grateful for community donors who have helped us fund this crucial program and other advanced technologies to serve more members of our community.”

If you would like to support the Mills-Peninsula Women’s Center, contact Amanda Kiernan Martin at Amanda.martin5@sutterhealth.org.