We partner with nonprofit organizations, community residents with lived experiences, and BJC HealthCare's Community Health Improvement team to convene, support, and lead efforts that address individual health needs and systemic barriers to health equity. Your gift funds community programs designed to eliminate health disparities in under-resourced communities in the City of St. Louis, North St. Louis County, and rural areas. Together, we can give all people the opportunity to live their healthiest possible lives.

School Health and Wellness

With support from our donors, BJC Community Health Improvement partners with more than 50 schools and five community organizations to advance equitable health and educational outcomes through BJC's Community Wellness Hub program. The hubs offer families, adults, and children a trusted a safe place for respite, mental wellness programming, and resource connection year-round. Your philanthropic support will empower thousands of families with coping methods to improve their mental wellness each year.

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Healthy Eating Active Living

Thousands of St. Louis neighbors face food insecurity and are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes each year. Through BJC's Healthy Eating Active Living initiative, we work to reduce the prevalence of chronic conditions by improving access to healthy food and providing health education. Philanthropic support advances critical BJC programs that provide food, nutrition education, access to safe spaces for physical activity, and social support to patients and their families to create long-term healthy habits.

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Improving Black Infant and Maternal Health Outcomes

Missouri has the seventh highest maternal mortality rate in the nation, with Black women 3.5 times as likely to die during pregnancy or from complications arising during childbirth compared to white women. With support from donors like you, BJC HealthCare is working to eliminate racial disparities by collaborating with community-based doulas and building clinical care teams that reflect the community it serves to help improve equity in maternal health outcomes.

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Equitable Vaccinations and Screenings

Vaccines and screenings play a pivotal role in saving lives, yet vaccination rates continue to fall below targets set by Healthy People 2030. Generous donors make it possible for BJC HealthCare to provide free flu vaccinations, year-round screening events, and other preventative services in under-resourced communities.

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New Responsive Initiatives 

Health equity is about everyone having an equal opportunity to be as healthy as possible. That means addressing the systems and structures that stand in the way of optimal health. Your support will enable us to address emerging community needs (e.g., housing security, gun safety and violence reduction, digital divide, etc.).

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Search the documents below to learn more about the areas that interest you. Discover how your generosity enriches lives, saves lives, and transforms health care.

Donor Gift Supports Women with Cancer

Wednesday, September 20, 2023

Many studies demonstrate the benefit of cancer survivorship programs to increase quality of life and help cancer survivors and their families manage the physical, emotional, and social effects of cancer and cancer treatment, as well as improve their overall health and well-being.

At the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, survivorship support is a critical part of treatment and recovery. On August 24, women with cancer participated in a Live Better Workshop with Chef Ryan Callahan, author of Cooking for Chemo. The event was funded through the generosity of Robert Ashton, who made this program possible with a generous gift to the Together Support Fund in memory of his wife Pauline.From left: Nancy Tecu, WHNP-BC, AOCNP, Robert Ashton, Ryan Callahan, Rochelle Hobson, RN, MSN, CHPN

During the Cooking for Chemo workshop, Chef Ryan explored the sensory components of taste for nearly two dozen women and their caregivers. “Eating is the entire human experience in a nutshell,” says Chef Ryan. As his mother’s primary caregiver during her treatment for breast cancer, he learned firsthand that chemotherapy can impact the palate, giving many foods a metallic taste. During her chemotherapy, he experimented with flavors, aromas, and textures to prepare meals she would find appetizing.  “Cooking for Chemo is about getting you back to your next bite of food.”

Chef Ryan delved into the science of taste, encouraging everyone to start from scratch to relearn their palates and reignite the romance with food through textures, temperatures, and new associations. He encouraged attendees to experiment with spices and provided attendees with recipes and worksheets to take home.

Rochelle Hobson, RN, MSN, CHPN, manager of the survivorship program at Siteman Cancer Center, says, "Survivors often experience taste changes and weight loss or gain and don't know where to go for support. Events like this take care of the 'whole' person."

Visit Siteman Cancer Center to learn about upcoming programs or contact Jennifer Jones at (314) 273-5855 or [email protected] to learn how to support similar programs. Make a gift to the Together Support Group Fund and help cancer survivors and their families improve their overall health and well-being. 

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