Breast cancer organizations form new agreement to raise funds for research

Leading breast cancer organizations Susan G. Komen for the Cure® and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation in Canada today announce a new agreement to raise funds and explore possibilities to partner in research, education, advocacy and awareness programs across borders.

“Komen for the Cure and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation have worked together for many years. Today’s announcement formalizes our friendship, and brings the collective resources of two respected and dedicated organizations closer together to achieve a world without breast cancer.”

This is the start of what is intended to be a cooperative approach to breast cancer programs across North America. By working together, both charities hope to expand their reach, enhance fundraising and realize a future without breast cancer sooner.

The first step, announced today, is a joint cause-related marketing agreement, in which the two organizations will work with business partners to identify and develop products and programs to be available in both countries, with proceeds benefiting both organizations and the breast cancer cause.

“Ending this disease requires collaboration with the best that the world has to offer,” said Ambassador Nancy G. Brinker, founder and CEO of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. “Komen for the Cure and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation have worked together for many years. Today’s announcement formalizes our friendship, and brings the collective resources of two respected and dedicated organizations closer together to achieve a world without breast cancer.”

Both Brinker and Colleen Fleming, CEO of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation — Central Office, noted the similarities between the organizations’ strategic approach to their missions. Both focus on — and fund — leading-edge research, education and awareness programs and community-based social and emotional support programs for women and men with breast cancer.

“Breast cancer knows no boundaries and together, we will be working on cooperative marketing projects as we create opportunities for research, education and awareness programs across our borders,” Fleming said. “This relationship brings access and additional resources to both organizations and increases the momentum of the global breast cancer movement. There is much to share regarding how we raise funds, educate and affect greater change.”

In Canada, over 22,000 women and men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 5,400 will die from it. Breast cancer will strike 200,000 women and men and kill more than 40,000 in the United States this year alone. Breast cancer mortality rates in both countries, however, have steadily declined, by 30 percent since 1986 in Canada and by about two percent each year since 1990 in the United States, a figure attributed to more education, improved early detection and more effective treatments in both countries. Worldwide, more than 1.3 million women and men are expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010 and 465,000 will die from it.