Breast Cancer in Young Adults

Programs that provide cash, vouchers or other forms of monetary aid for people in need of assistance and evaluate the individual’s or family’s need for the money on a case-by-case basis rather than having pre-established policies regarding the types of needs the dollars can be used to cover.

Programs that provide temporary living quarters for people who are ill and for their families while the individual who is ill receives treatment or care. Included are programs that make it possible for family members to stay in local hotels, motels or other settings at no cost or a reduced cost, hotels and motels that provide discounts for people who are visiting an ill family member and programs that maintain special facilities for this purpose.

Programs that help people who are having difficulty paying their monthly bills gain control of their finances. The process generally involves analysis of the individual’s income, expenses, debts, taxes and other factors to create a personal financial assessment; development of a budget for basic living expenses; and agreement on a short-term plan for repayment of creditors which may include debt consolidation or other strategies and a longer term plan for realizing personal financial goals.

Programs that link individuals who have a particular disability or condition or have specific types of life experiences and are interested in meeting or corresponding with others who have similar disabilities, conditions or experiences for the purpose of information sharing and support.

Programs that provide information about the causes and origins, preventive measures, symptoms, screening/diagnostic procedures, and/or methods of treatment or management including the latest research for specific illnesses or disabling conditions.

Programs that pay for or provide hairpieces for cancer victims and other individuals who have lost their hair due to the side effects of chemotherapy or radiation therapy or as a result of a condition such as alopecia areata.

Programs that pay for or provide and train recipients in the use of artificial arms, hands, feet, legs and portions of legs, some of which are battery operated and utilize the movement of remaining muscle groups to control the strength and direction of motion.

Programs that offer the screening procedure for the early detection of breast cancer which involves a manual examination of the breasts for lumps, thickening or other abnormalities.

Programs that offer the screening procedure for the early detection of breast cancer which involves an X-ray picture of the breast area which can be studied for abnormalities.

Programs that conduct microscopic studies of tissue samples from the cervix or vagina as a means of early cancer detection in women.

Programs that measure the pressure existing in the large arteries at the height of a pulse wave and identify individuals whose blood pressure is higher than normal, and who are thereby susceptible to strokes and other conditions that are related to hypertension.

Programs that evaluate an individual’s height, weight and body composition as a means of assessing overall health and fitness. Included are programs that calculate a person’s Body Mass Index (BMI), a figure that is based on the weight (in kilograms) divided by the height (in meters) squared and interpreted using a table which shows value ranges for people who are underweight, have normal weight or are overweight; and those that look at the individual’s body weight in terms of percentage of body fat, lean body mass (including organs, muscle and bone) and percentage of body water. Personalized recommendations for nutrition and exercise may also be provided for people with underdeveloped musculature or excessive body fat. These tests may be provided as components of nutrition assessment and prescription services or physical fitness assessment programs, but are often available as separate screenings.

Programs that examine the type and level of fatty substances in the blood as an early indication of coronary heart disease. Cholesterol is a soft, waxy substance found among the lipids (fats) in the bloodstream and in all body’s cells. It is an important part of a healthy body because it is used to form cell membranes, some hormones and is needed for other functions. Cholesterol and other fats cannot dissolve in the blood. They have to be transported to and from the cells by special carriers called lipoproteins including low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). High levels of LDL cholesterol can build up in the walls of the arteries that feed the heart and the brain and form plaque, a thick hard substance that can clog the arteries. HDL tends to carry cholesterol away from the arteries back to the liver where it is passed from the body. Triglycerides are the chemical form in which most fat exists in food as well as in the body. They are also present in blood plasma and, in association with cholesterol, form the plasma lipids.

Programs that evaluate joint motion, muscle strength and endurance, heart and lung function and the ability of people to perform activities of daily living; and utilize the therapeutic properties of exercise, heat, cold, electricity, ultraviolet, water, manipulation and massage to improve circulation, strengthen muscles, reduce pain and restore mobility to people who have been disabled by a stroke, arthritis, back or spinal cord injuries or other debilitating conditions. Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings including hospitals, private offices, outpatient clinics, rehabilitation centers, developmental centers, home health agencies, schools and pediatric centers.

Programs that administer tests which determine whether an individual has diabetes, a disorder in which the pancreas produces too little insulin with the result that the body in unable to adequately metabolize sugar.

Rehabilitation oriented fitness programs that develop individualized exercise routines and other fitness activities for people with acute or chronic health conditions such as arthritis, congestive heart failure, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, physical disabilities or other problems which affect their physical functioning with the objective of mitigating the effects of their condition; improving muscle strength and endurance, flexibility, and cardiovascular health; losing weight, if desirable; and reducing the risk of health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis and depression. Included are gym and home based therapeutic exercise programs and aquatic therapy.

Mutual support groups whose members are people who have a disability, illness or other health condition, their families and friends. The groups meet in-person, by telephone or via the Internet; and provide an opportunity for participants to share information, resources, practical tips for daily living and encouragement about issues related to the disability or health problem.

Mutual support groups whose members are family, friends, significant others, non-familial caregivers or attendants who are caring for someone who has a temporary, chronic, life-threatening or terminal illness or disability or who is elderly and increasingly unable to provide for his or her own care. The groups meet in-person, by telephone or via the Internet; and provide emotional support, information and resources to help participants ensure their own well-being while remaining involved in the intense care of a loved one. Also included are care receiver support groups that help people who have a caregiver cope with the fact that they require care. Care receiver support groups are often offered in conjunction with caregiver support groups and are structured to allow care receivers to participate in their own group while their caregiver attends another.

Mutual support groups whose members are people who have experienced a loss, such as the death of a loved one, divorce or separation. The groups meet in-person, by telephone or via the Internet; are open to anyone who has had a loss rather than structured for people with particular types of losses; and focus on helping participants accept their loss, express their grief, move through the bereavement process and put their lives back together.

Programs that sponsor conferences, symposiums, seminars, workshops and other gatherings in which one or a variety of speakers are brought together to make presentations which address a particular human service topic with the objective of increasing participant awareness of the issues, problems and potential solutions that are facing residents of the community.

Programs that help people identify and secure paid employment opportunities that match their aptitude, qualifications, experience and interests.

One-stop centers that provide an array of employment and training services in a convenient, easily accessible location. Services may include job counseling, testing and assessment; resume preparation assistance, interview training and other prejob guidance services; job matching and referral; unemployment insurance and job registration; labor market and career information; information on financial aid for education and training; and referral for job training, transportation, child care, personal and financial counseling, health care and other human services resources in the community.

Programs that maintain information about community resources that are appropriate for a specific target group or human services sector (for example, youth programs or addiction services) and which link individuals who are in need of specialized services with appropriate resources and/or which provide information about community agencies and organizations that offer specialized services.

Programs that provide legal counseling and/or representation for low-income individuals who need assistance in routine legal matters, usually in the area of bankruptcy, housing, public benefits, family law, elder law or immigration/naturalization.

Programs that focus broadly on helping individuals who are having difficulty understanding, accessing, and/or are unaware of grants, payments, services or other benefits for which they are eligible rather than offering more specialized services relating to a particular type of benefit or service.