NATIONAL BREAST CANCER COALITION – ENDING BREAST CANCER

In 1991, the National Breast Cancer Coalition (NBCC) was formed with one mission – an end to breast cancer. NBCC has accomplished much over its twenty plus years – bringing about unprecedented research funding to the worldwide scientific community, forging new collaborations to design research and set priorities, expanding access to information and care to underserved women and launching unparalleled training programs to prepare advocates around the globe to work side by side with scientists, policy makers and health care providers. Yet breast cancer continues to take lives.

To renew the sense of urgency to its mission and to refocus global efforts on ending breast cancer and saving lives, the NBCC has set a deadline – End breast cancer by January 1, 2020, Breast Cancer Deadline 2020®. NBCC has a strategic plan of action to achieve the deadline. The plan focuses on primary prevention, stopping women from getting breast cancer and understanding and preventing metastasis (the spread of cancer), which is responsible for 90% of breast cancer deaths. This means by January 1, 2020, we must understand how to prevent people from getting breast cancer in the first place and how to prevent them from dying from the disease. RESEARCH – Facilitate collaboration in all areas and minimize unnecessary competition. First Pilot Artemis Project®  The topic chosen was a 5-year development plan for a breast cancer preventive vaccine, because of the potential impact on breast cancer and the progress made in the field of immunology. A research plan is in place, teams have been identified and the plan is being implemented. This vaccine project will serve as a model for other catalytic projects. Future catalytic projects - Plans include the role of viruses in the initiation, development or spread of breast cancer; the role of inflammation in breast cancer; targeting the immune system to prevent breast cancer development  or metastasis; the role of lifestyle and other external exposures in initiation and progression of breast cancer; and identifying the windows when women are most vulnerable to breast cancer development and metastasis. Refine existing research infrastructure – form a collaboration to identify problems that impede progress within the research infrastructure and design solutions to move the existing systems to focus on making progress toward the Breast Cancer Deadline 2020®. CHANGING THE CONVERSATION – Focus on research to prevent breast cancer. Breast Cancer Awareness Month has come and gone. Press coverage included articles about local runs, survivor stories and reminders to get mammograms, but there was a noticeable focus on research to end breast cancer. Congresswoman Shelly Capito delivered a speech from the floor of the House of Representatives imploring her colleagues to support the Accelerating the End of Breast Cancer Act. Locally, Beyond Pink TEAM advocates talked about Breast Cancer Deadline 2020® on radio. And in social media, #BCD2020 is a trending topic on Twitter. To learn more about Breast Cancer Deadline 2020®, the Artemis Project, or the National Breast Cancer Coalition check out; breastcancerdeadline2020.org