October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an annual international health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities to heighten awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure. Each year, thousands of organizations sponsor programs in support of this campaign. Here is an overview of a few of them.
Breastcancer.org was founded in 2000 by renowned breast oncologist Marisa C. Weiss, MD, to help patients affected by breast cancer make sense of complex medical information and empower them to make the best decisions throughout their medical and emotional journeys.
In 2021, Breastcancer.org received more than 69,000 visits a day, more than 2.1 million visits each month, and more than 25 million total visits. The website includes more than 700 pages of expert-reviewed content providing the most reliable, complete, and up-to-date breast health and breast cancer information available.
Breastcancer.org’s content is produced in consultation with a Professional Advisory Board comprised of experts on all aspects of breast cancer including medical, surgical, and radiation oncologists; oncology nurses; plastic surgeons; social workers; nutritionists; and insurance experts.1
In 1980, Nancy Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan Komen, that she would do everything she could to end breast cancer.
Ms Brinker started the Susan G. Komen Foundation in 1982, and it is now the largest breast cancer organization in the United States. To date, the foundation has invested more than $3.3 billion in groundbreaking research, community health outreach, advocacy, and programs in more than 60 countries worldwide. Its efforts have helped to reduce deaths from breast cancer by 40% between 1989 and 2016 through improvements in early detection and effective treatments.
The foundation recently launched the African-American Health Equity Initiative with the goal of eliminating barriers to care for individuals and communities experiencing breast health inequities now and in the future.2
The National Breast Cancer Foundation was founded in 1991 by breast cancer survivor, Janelle Hail, who was diagnosed with the disease in 1980. At the time of her diagnosis, there was little information about the disease, and she was forced to make a decision about her health with few options. Ms Hail made a commitment to help women by educating them on breast cancer and the importance of early detection.
Recognized as one of the leading breast cancer organizations in the world, the National Breast Cancer Foundation provides early detection, education, and support services to those affected by breast cancer. Over the past decade, it has provided more than 192,000 mammograms, more than 858,000 patient navigation services, and more than 240,000 breast health education services to women in need.3
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