Our first Maryland Cancer Research Breakfast hosted by ACS CAN was held on October 19, 2010 to celebrate advancements in breast cancer research and survivorship at the Westminster Hall in Baltimore, MD.
It was amazing to be in a room filled with survivors, researchers, advocates, and corporate sponsors all there for the common purpose to support increase funding for breast cancer research and screenings. Together, we heard about breast cancer advancements by the keynote speaker and renowned cancer researcher Dr. V. Craig Jordan, scientific director and vice chairman of the Department of Oncology at Georgetown University Medical Center. Dr. Jordan was the first researcher to discover the breast cancer prevention properties of the cancer drug Tamoxifen.
We also heard from other featured speakers like Maryland Lt. Governor Anthony Brown; and Dick Cass, president of the Baltimore Ravens who spoke about the importance of partnerships and working together. Mr. Cass specifically talked about the NFL partnership and the Crucial Catch Campaign. It’s wonderful to see all of the NFL football players and coaches wearing pink during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The emcee, Mary Bubala from WJZ Channel 13 said it perfectly, “It’s true what they say, real men do wear pink!”
President of ACS CAN, Chris Hansen spoke too and talked about how we need to urge Congress to allocate more funding for cancer research, which will lead to a better understanding of breast cancer, the importance of early detection and treatment, as well as patient care. Attendees at the Breakfast were also encouraged to sign a petition to urge the Governor to protect funding for the Maryland Breast and Cervical Cancer Program.
This year is especially meaningful because it marks the 20th anniversary of the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP), a lifesaving program that enables uninsured low income women to receive free early detection tests for breast and cervical cancer. Unfortunately, the program’s current funding level only allows fewer than one in five eligible women to be tested. Greater funding of this program will permit more detection and help to save more lives, building upon the more than eight million screening exams that have already been completed. More than 2.5 million Americans who are surviving breast cancer will celebrate a birthday this year thanks to the American Cancer Society and supporters like the NFL who are helping save lives.
This event would not have been possible without all of the many generous corporate sponsors: Mylan, GlaxoSmithKline, University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, Sanofi-aventis, St. Joseph Medical Center, Baltimore Ravens, Greater Baltimore Medical Center, MileOne, Pfizer, Bon Secours Baltimore Health System, Carroll Hospital, Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins Medicine, and St. Agnes Cancer Institute.
After months of delay and hard negotiations, Congress has finally passed a funding bill! The bill includes a small increase for cancer research and prevention programs.