The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) will present its most prestigious annual honor, the Catherine Logan Award for Service to Survivorship, to the CBCRP on Thursday (Nov. 3) at its Rays of Hope Gala in Washington, D.C.
The CBCRP was established in 1993 by the California Legislature to adopt research strategies and allocate funds for studies in breast cancer biology, causes, prevention, treatment and survivorship. It is funded through a California tobacco tax, voluntary contributions on personal income tax forms and individual donations. The NCCS, in honoring the CBCRP, will also recognize the state of California and its Legislature for its foresight in creating a key program for the battle against breast cancer.
"Beyond funding needed research in these tough economic times, the CBCRP supports California-based researchers and educates California's cancer survivors, which above all, are perhaps its most important contributions," said Dr. Richard Payne, chairman of the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship's board of directors. "As the oldest survivor-led cancer advocacy organization in the country, NCCS believes everyone touched by cancer deserves quality care and works to help cancer survivors and their caregivers advocate for themselves. The CBCRP exemplifies our mission every day and it's our pleasure to recognize them."
"Congratulations to the California Breast Cancer Research Program," said Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-San Francisco/San Mateo), who served as an assembly member (1986-96) and state senator (1998-2006) in the California Legislature. "While we have made great strides in combating breast cancer in recent years, it still remains the most prevalent cancer diagnosis women receive, with one in eight American women affected. The breakthrough research you are doing to combat this deadly disease will lead us to the cures of tomorrow and is certainly worthy of this well deserved honor."
In 18 years, the CBCRP has awarded 920 research grants, totaling more than $225 million, to more than 100 California institutions. In its early years, much of the funding was for basic research. But soon, CBCRP increased its emphasis on community-based participatory research and studies with underserved populations, including African Americans, Latinas and Asians. More recently, CBCRP also has emphasized research into possible environmental causes of breast cancer, triggering bigger and national studies on whether chemicals or other products play a role in the disease.
A hallmark of the CBCRP is the involvement of breast cancer advocates in setting research strategies. "It was breast cancer advocates and survivors who pushed for the legislation that established the CBCRP," said Ysabel Duron, an award-winning Bay Area journalist and cancer survivor who is a member of the CBCRP's Breast Cancer Research Council.
"Kudos to the people of California and the state legislature for funding this program that impacts thousands of women and many families in this state who confront a breast cancer diagnosis," said Duron, who also is a board member of NCCS and the founder of Latinas Contra Cancer, which offers culturally-sensitive and Spanish-language programs for Latinos.
Today, the CBCRP continues to team advocates and scientists in every aspect of decision-making, including program planning and grant application review, said Dr. Marion Kavanaugh-Lynch, director of CBCRP at the UC Office of the President.
"Our goal is to focus on closing the critical gaps in the breast cancer research field," said Kavanaugh-Lynch, who will receive the NCCS award. "One way we've accomplished this is by making sure that our research is guided by the knowledge and experience of the people who deal with breast cancer firsthand. We provide opportunities for community members and researchers to partner together to answer their urgent questions in a scientifically rigorous way."
Related links
National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
California Breast Cancer Research Program