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Launched in 2023, Texas Health Equity Alliance for Breast Cancer (THEAL) is a multi-sector collaborative focused on reducing breast cancer disparities experienced by Black women in Harris County. THEAL is grounded in principles of cross-sector collaboration, system strengthening and aligned multilateral impact.

THEAL builds upon the expertise of MD Anderson¡¯s Health Disparities Research department in addressing the determinants of cancer disparities while leveraging the Cancer Prevention and Control Platform¡¯s experience in leading cross-sector collaboratives for community impact. 

THEAL¡¯s goal is to reduce the disparity in breast cancer mortality by half within five years and eliminate the disparity in 15 years.

Our aims

• Align to develop a shared approach and plan of action through a collaborative framework
• Explore and promote the use of shared data to drive decision-making
• Identify and address the root causes of breast cancer disparities through evidence-based actions

Our activities

We work collaboratively to implement evidence-based actions. These include:

• Patient navigation
• Patient education
• Clinic-based quality improvement
• Provider and staff training
• Reducing structural barriers to care
• Reducing patient out-of-pocket costs

Our work

• Landscape analysis
• Community dialogues
• Strategic planning
• Working groups focused on health systems, data, health communication and evaluation
• Implementation and sustainability of evidence-based actions