Highlighting Our Members
WCC is fortunate to have so many inspiring, hard-working member organizations. In this monthly series, we are proud to shine a spotlight on the important work folks are doing in cancer control and prevention across the state.
If you're interested in being featured, reach out to [email protected]!
This Month's Member Spotlight
Wisconsin Well Woman Program - Coordinator Spotlight
In recognition of January as Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, we are featuring the work of the Wisconsin Well Woman Program (WWWP), which helps women who have little or no health insurance get screened for breast and cervical cancers. To spotlight the great work this program does all over the state, we featured three WWWP coordinators.
WWWP coordinators help clients enroll in the program, connect them with participating providers, and educate the community on the importance of receiving recommended cancer screenings and follow-up diagnostic testing when needed. These coordinators are highly collaborative professionals who build trusting relationships with healthcare providers, community-based organizations, local health departments, and community members through outreach.
Anni Hedlund - WWWP Program Specialist and Spanish Interpreter for the Eau Claire Jurisdiction
Anni Hedlund is the WWWP Program Specialist and Spanish Interpreter for the Eau Claire jurisdiction, an eight-county region that includes Chippewa, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson, Pepin, Pierce, St. Croix, and Trempealeau counties.
Within the Family Planning Clinic at the Eau Claire City–County Health Department, Anni has cultivated a strong partnership with the Chippewa Valley Free Clinic. This partnership allows for direct referrals and ensures clients are connected to the health department for cervical cancer screening and appropriate follow-up testing following abnormal Pap results. In addition, the
Chippewa Valley Free Clinic hosts quarterly mammogram screenings, during which Marshfield Clinic provides staff for a mobile mammography unit. Anni supports these events by enrolling clients in WWWP prior to the screenings to ensure mammography services are covered.
The personal relationships Anni has built within her community as a WWWP program specialist are valuable to her, sharing, “I’m fulfilled by helping people access the care they need — especially during vulnerable moments – and that experience motivates me to continue supporting them and seeking new resources on their behalf.”
Anni feels fortunate to work on an inspiring team of providers, program specialists, and community outreach staff, highlighting everyone’s shared commitment to supporting their clients. Leveraging their interdisciplinary skills, Anni says the team members can “collaborate to develop strong ideas, accomplish meaningful work both inside the clinic and in the community, and ensure that people receive the care and referrals that best meet their needs.”
Soraya Bericoto - WWWP Regional Coordinator for Waukesha and Jefferson Counties
Soraya Bericoto is the WWWP Regional Coordinator for Waukesha and Jefferson Counties. With over 19 years of experience as a health promoter for ProHealth Care, Soraya works collaboratively within a community health department to educate women on Pap tests and HPV screening to reduce the burden of cervical cancer. Soraya and her team at the ProHealth Care - Community Outreach Department support women by leveraging the advantage of being part of the health care system. As a trusted and well-recognized department in the community, they are able to effectively deliver education and assist women in accessing breast and cervical cancer screenings.
Soraya seeks to help women overcome barriers to care, like limited access to services, fear, and limited health education. She addresses these barriers by “providing education, support, and care coordination to ensure timely access to diagnostic and treatment services, while building trust and supporting patients throughout their care journey.”
In addition to her community outreach work promoting cancer screening resources, Soraya and her team host hands-on workshops, healthy cooking demonstrations, and yoga and meditation classes in the community. She supports these community events with her certifications in Reiki, lifestyle coaching, and nutrition and wellness consultation.
When asked what she enjoys most about the work, Soraya shares that she finds “great fulfillment in supporting women through education and prevention and knowing that [her] work helps them make informed decisions about their health.”
Dawn Henslee - WWWP Program Coordinator for Rock and Dane Counties
Dawn Henslee is the WWWP Program Coordinator for Dane and Rock Counties. Bringing over 25 years of passion and dedication to her community outreach role, Dawn highlights that WWWP’s work goes beyond an initial screening enrollment and extends to “providing case management and good coaching as women navigate new systems and abnormal results.” She strives to work closely with social workers, community health workers, and clinic staff to provide everything needed to get to the final result of her members’ screening. This is especially important when supporting women who “may otherwise fall through the cracks” due to cost and transportation barriers.
Throughout her career, Dawn has been inspired by many of the folks she works with in the breast cancer field, from the Wisconsin Breast Cancer Task Force members who advocate and fundraise to the clinic staff who passionately and creatively support women seeking care.
However, she is most inspired by the people she serves, sharing, “I learn something new from each member who is screened and diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer through our program... These women show me what strength really is. I watch as they rise to the occasion and fight for their health, for their coverage, and fight to get to the other side of their diagnosis. They are the real heroes.”
