Mary-Helen Mautner Project for Lesbians with Cancer

Mautner Project, The National Lesbian Health Organization improves the health of lesbians, bisexual and transgender women who partner with women (WPW) and their families by:

• Conducting primary research about lesbian/WPW health;
• Providing direct services, offering support and support groups to lesbians/WPW with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses;
• Advocating for public & private sector research on lesbian health;
• Promoting lesbian health advocacy and activism at the national, state and local levels;
• Educating lesbians about important health issues;
• Educating health-care providers about the needs and concerns of their lesbian clients;
• Advocating for complete lesbian/LGBT inclusion in mainstream health initiatives;
• Teaching and mentoring the next generation of LGBT health advocates, policy makers, and providers;
• Working in coalition with other health organizations on lesbian health;
• Offering various support groups: for cancer clients, caregivers, those grieving a loss, as well as health & wellness groups, including: smoking cessation, nutrition, etc... 
• Educating policymakers, the press, and the general public about lesbian health.

Our Purpose: Because lesbians are less inclined to seek preventative health care in the face of discrimination and homophobia, the Mautner Project educates lesbians about their health and trains health-care providers about their lesbian patients, providing tools and insights on how to achieve better health outcomes for lesbians.