Recommend a small org working on breast cancer, please

February 5, 2017 8:03 AM

Can you recommend an organization that does meaningful work to reduce breast cancer incidence and mortality?

I'm interested in smaller, locally-focused organizations - and, any that may have a focus on reducing disparities in outcomes, since women of color have lower BC incidence but higher mortality than white women. I would prefer to avoid major, national, heavily-funded, well-advertised, nonprofit-industrial-complex organizations.

This question offered some decent info but my interests are slightly different.

Backstory and details:
This week, a family friend died after about 6 years of living with Stave IV breast cancer. I'd like to make a donation in her memory. My first thought was Planned Parenthood, but apparently they provide referrals but not mammography services.

It's tricky, too - my understanding of BC incidence is that reductions were achieved by dramatically lowering rates of post-menopausal hormone replacement therapy in the early 2000s, but that other risk factors are things like healthy diet and excerise, and family history. And, my understanding of mortality is that early diagnosis and treatment is key, but as the Canadian mammogram study showed, annual mammography before age 60 doesn't reduce mortality - so, presumably, screening should be targeted or risk-based. But ultimately it's not clear, from a policy or strategic angle, what works to reduce BC incidence and mortality.

Thanks.

posted by entropone to Health & Fitness (3 answers total)

Best answer: Breast Cancer Action is fantastic and sounds like they'd be of interest to you. They do work with social justice and inequality of outcomes. They do a lot of work on carcinogens used in consumer products and in fracking and reject corporate partnerships. They also support research on improving quality of life and survival for breast cancer patients (which includes when mammograms are warranted and when they tend to be excess radiation exposure or don't change outcomes).

Seriously, they're great.
posted by momus_window at 10:09 AM on February 5, 2017 [3 favorites]

Mod note: From the OP:

Breast Treatment Task Force is a NYC-based nonprofit that helps uninsured or underinsured women (who don't qualify for other aid programs) get testing and treatment. At the time I contacted them for help, I was working but couldn't afford my company's insurance, and also made too much to qualify for Medicaid. I was also too young to qualify for the free mammograms provided by other programs (you had to be at least 40yo). My school NP had told me the previous year that my symptoms really needed to get checked out, but since the school didn't provide those services and I wasn't insured, I was out of luck.

I underwent multiple rounds of mammograms, ultrasounds, MRIs, biopsies, and eventually surgery. BTTF handled everything, paid for everything. I am so thankful.

They get referrals from community agencies, most (if not all) of which work with women of color and/or women from underprivileged communities.

posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 9:32 PM on February 5, 2017

Metavivor uses 100% of all donations on Stage 4 research. Early detection matters, but over 30% of people who develop and are treated for earlier stage breast cancer will end up with metastatic disease later in life. This what kills the over 40,000 people annually who die from breast cancer.

I have MBC and this is the charity I direct people to when they ask me. They gave over a million dollars in research grants last year.

I'm so sorry you lost your friend.
posted by deliciae at 10:16 PM on February 7, 2017 [1 favorite]