Texas Health Equity Alliance for Breast Cancer

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 vision 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