Gateway to Hope is excited to share that 2025 was a year of unprecedented growth for the organization. By expanding our reach across the state of Missouri and beyond, we are ensuring more women can access the essential breast health services they need.
Sustaining Expansion and Quality
In 2025, Gateway to Hope served 1,077 patients — a 61% increase over 2024. Over 350 women received mammograms with assistance from our Screening Program. And we provided $487,180 in direct financial assistance — more than ever before — stepping up to meet the growing need among patients.
Along the way, we maintained our exceptional patient outcomes, with 91% of patients reporting that, due to our support, they did not need to skip life-saving medications or appointments. This is over four times better than cancer patients who aren’t receiving our services. Our programs save lives.
Getting to the Heart of Health Gaps
Gateway to Hope released the preliminary findings of a large research project, funded by the Missouri Foundation for Health, designed to uncover, and address with urgency, the root causes of breast healthcare disparities in the St. Louis region and beyond.
We learned that only 50% of age-eligible women are receiving recommended screenings, and that our region is only using half of its true capacity to provide early detection care. We also learned our patients are trending younger and more diverse, with higher needs and more advanced disease. These findings will guide collaborative efforts with public and private health organizations to bridge those gaps in access.
By expanding our navigation programming with an emphasis on engagement in areas where mortality rates are high and screening rate are low, we can help women get to care sooner.
Showcasing the Community
Gateway to Hope hosted the first ever Breast Fest — a community showcase of the best breast health information, resources, and services in the St. Louis region. Held at Delmar Divine, Breast Fest gave area residents opportunities to learn about breast health, get a mammogram on the spot, and connect with service providers. We are excited to host the event again, and expand to additional sites, in 2026.
Building Evidence for Better Care
Gateway to Hope, with funding from Pfizer and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, has partnered with the University of Kansas Medical Center to study the positive impacts of our programs: how they improve patients’ quality of life and make care more cost-effective. As we expand across the state, we’re using this data to prove our model works for patients while being a smart investment of taxpayer dollars.
This research will strengthen our advocacy work with policymakers and healthcare payers — and help us move closer to expanding nationwide.
