DEVELOPING A PROGRAM OF RESEARCH ON A SHOESTRING

After a person receives a doctorate and becomes either a nurse researcher, nursing faculty member, or adopts another role they are then required to develop programs, write proposals and ultimately receive funding for these projects.  This presentation will report on the work of the Black Women Breast Cancer Survivors (BWBCS) Project, an exemplar for developing a program of research on shoestring.  The BWBCS Project began as a funded qualitative study held in Roxbury, MA during fall 2006.  In this study BWBCS attended a series of focus group meetings.  In each focus group BWBCS discussed various dimensions (physical, psychological, social, economic, spiritual/existential) of their breast cancer experience.  This work was funded by the initial grant.  However the BWBCS Project has grown to an undergraduate honors project that produced two published articles.  Additionally there has been involvement of key stakeholders from health care facilities, community health centers, insurance companies, breast cancer survivor groups, black sororities, and personnel from breast cancer programs from across the Commonwealth who are becoming a virtual community through the development of a website.  Collaboration with another faculty member has expanded the spiritual/existential dimension to begin another study using the qualitative method of photo-voice.  The BWBCS Project is moving towards filling gaps in Afrocentric materials and programs by integrating these materials and programs into communities that provide health care services to Black women with breast cancer.  This presentation will illustrate the expanded reach of the BWBCS Project and its attempt to ensure comprehensive, culturally-sensitive health care while using all available resources that are available on a shoestring budget.