Back in the Swing gives $300,000 for breast cancer survivors

In the past four years, Back in the Swing, a national nonprofit headquartered in Leawood, has provided more than $1 million to KU Endowment for the cancer center.

Jennifer Klemp, associate director of the Breast Cancer Survivorship Center, said the center works to improve the lives of breast cancer survivors through care and research on the local and national levels.

“Breast cancer survivors have complex physical and psychological needs,” Klemp said. “We have a multidisciplinary model of survivorship care that addresses those needs. Our goal for post-treatment care is to focus on the individual’s concerns and provide a plan for improved health and quality of life.”

Back in the Swing’s founder, Barbara Unell, said the Breast Cancer Survivorship Center has become a model for survivorship care across the country. The foundation is committed to improving and protecting the health of breast cancer survivors in Kansas City and the nation by supporting academic medical research, education and individualized, comprehensive clinical care.

“We are changing the conversation around survivorship care by translating the research at the KU Breast Cancer Survivorship Center into practical prevention and intervention practices,” Unell said. “We hope this grant will help every cancer care provider locally and nationally to have the opportunity to learn how to integrate survivorship care as the standard of care for all patients from diagnosis forward.”