Reducing the Incidence of Breast Cancer by 2020

Reducing the Incidence of Breast Cancer by 2020

our goal is to reduce the incidence of breast cancer by 2020. This year, 24,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Imagine if we can reduce that number by half! The Need: $5,000,000 from Private Funders corporations, individuals and foundations to reduce the incidence of breast cancer by 2020. While breast cancer remains the most common cancer among women, we know that one-third of breast cancers are preventable and that every day new scientific evidence emerges that helps us to better understand the actions we can take to reduce our risk. Unfortunately this valuable information isn t readily available and research in this area remains under-funded and under-developed. While CBCF and Government have dedicated funding to this important area, more support is needed to realize a marked reduction in breast cancer incidence.

Dr. Jim Brophy and Dr. Margaret Keith,CBCF-funded researchers and adjunct Professors at the University of Windsor Their grant from CBCF resulted in critical new evidence about workplace risks associated with breast cancer that, in the future, may lead to a better understanding of how to prevent the disease. Breast Cancer Prevention Breast Cancer Prevention Action Plan Action Plan Education, Advocacy and Research Education, Advocacy and Research

1 Education The World Cancer Research Fund estimates that one third of breast cancers are preventable through diet, a healthier body weight and regular physical activity. Evidence also confirms that reducing alcohol consumption, quitting smoking, and limiting exposure to second hand smoke and additional environmental exposures can reduce the risk of breast cancer. CBCF research indicates that many women believe that the risk of developing breast cancer is primarily related to genetics and family history. However, current research demonstrates that less than 10 percent of breast cancers are related to family history, while 90 percent of cases relate to other factors, including how and where we live and work. A comprehensive plan has been developed to educate women and their families on how they can reduce their risk of breast cancer. This plan includes: A Television and magazine public service announcements B Informative and interactive website and active social media strategy C Brochures and posters in doctor s offices and clinics D Educational community events in communities across Ontario to include the Pink Tour, a mobile health promotion vehicle designed to empower women to take steps to reduce their risk of developing breast cancer, and also to educate them about breast cancer screening and facilitate mammogram appointments with the Ontario Breast Screening Program. E Corporate educational events F Retail promotions To date, we have received $500K in Federal Government funding and $650K from Corporate partners to support this program for the first two years. AN additional $2,000,000 is required to continue this program for the full 5 year duration The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, with the support of Shoppers Drug Mart and CIBC, invites Ontarians to get on board the 2013 Pink Tour to learn about breast health and breast cancer screening.

The funding required to continue to work with Government and other agencies to improve access to information about modifiable risk factors is approximately $500,000 over 5 years 2 Advocacy and Policy Influence Decision makers, including the government play a critical role in both informing and protecting its citizens about potential hazards to their health. Health charities, including CBCF, play an important role in raising awareness of new scientific evidence that impacts the wellbeing and safety of citizens and ensuring that decision makers, including government agencies like Health Canada are being held to the highest standards in establishing and enforcing health promoting policies and guidelines. For example, this may include improvements to public education and labelling of hazardous ingredients including carcinogens. CBCF seeks to expand our relationships with like-minded organizations to advocate for improvements to policies that protect and promote the health of Canadians. For example, improving food and hazardous product labelling and an expansion of the Health Canada watch list to the higher standards in place in some other countries. We will continue to leverage the incredible support of our community to help us to raise awareness and concern in areas where decision makers, including government could be doing more. While our work in this area currently relies primarily on the expertise of our volunteers and community supporters, we hope to expand this area over the next 5 years with specific focus on policy improvements across the spectrum of breast cancer risk factors.

3 research Over the last 20 years, CBCF has invested over $280M in breast cancer research. These investments have led to numerous discoveries that have significantly reduced the burden of breast cancer. Breast cancer mortality rates have decreased by 42% in the last 25 years primarily due to the increase in mammography screening and improved treatment options. Amongst its achievements, CBCF funded the first ever Chair in Breast Cancer Research, Dr. Steven Narod, more than 20 years ago. Dr. Narod is today considered to be one of the leading breast cancer researchers in the world and is known for his ground-breaking discoveries related to the BRCA gene mutation, a leading cause of breast cancer among women who are at high risk. While researchers have long known that genetic and environmental factors individually contribute and interact with each other to increase breast cancer risk, less than 10% of cancer and breast cancer research is focused on prevention. With more research in this area, knowledge around what causes breast cancer and how we can prevent it can be accelerated. Prevention research has the greatest potential to reduce the number of women who are diagnosed with breast cancer. Current CBCF fundraising revenues provide for $8,000,000 $10,000,000 investment in research per year. We aim to increase this to $12,000,000 per year by 2020 with at least 10% of funding dedicated to prevention and risk reduction

Success means less women diagnosed with breast cancer Scientific evidence confirms that modifying lifestyle factors can reduce the risk of developing breast cancer. I applaud the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation for engaging women in this process and for providing them with practical tools to allow them to reduce their risk and to help them to make sense of this critical information. Dr. Christiane Kuntz Family physician and assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Ottawa Imagine If We Could Reduce Breast Cancer Incidence from 1 in 9 Women to 1 in 15. CBCF s commitment to prevention research, education and advocacy will lead to fewer women diagnosed with breast cancer. In the short term, we want women to be empowered to make changes to reduce their risk of breast cancer. One way that we will measure our success is by tracking and monitoring women s positive responses to our health communication strategies, especially those who report that they have or intend to commit to making healthier lifestyle changes. We also want to support evidence based policies that promote and protect Canadians like those that have recently been implemented to protect young women from the dangers of tanning beds. Finally, we want to increase the percentage of research done in this area and build the capacity of fellowships working in breast cancer prevention. Longer term, we hope to see a decrease in the number of new cases of breast cancer ever year, and to build knowledge, programs and strategies required to stop the disease before it starts. A breast cancer diagnosis is a life changing experience. For a woman it means embarking on a journey through treatment which will result in a different life. And for her loved ones, it means seeing their caregiver and rock go through one of the hardest experiences anyone could face. And increased focus on prevention and less new cases for breast cancer means a healthier life for women and their loved ones. It means making sure that as many families as possible don t have to see the special women in their lives face a breast cancer diagnosis.

We need your help to get there

You have the opportunity to make a direct impact on breast cancer incidence rates. Together, we can help create a future without breast cancer. Through more research, appropriate Government policies and practices and increased awareness and education, we have the opportunity to reduce the number of women who are diagnosed with breast cancer. By investing in breast cancer prevention initiatives, CBCF is taking action towards creating a future without breast cancer. But we can t do it alone. Working together, with the Leaders for the Cure corporate community, we can make significant progress in preventing breast cancer before it even starts. Education and Knowledge Translation $ 2,000,000 Advocacy and Policy Influence $ 500,000 Prevention Research $ 2,500,000 Total Campaign Goal $ 5,000,000

Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation is the largest charity in Canada and one of the largest in the world dedicated to breast cancer. Our work spans the breast cancer continuum from prevention to early detection, diagnosis, treatment and quality of life for women and men living with breast cancer.

Who we are More than 60% of the funds we raise are directed to breast cancer research. As a member of Canadian Cancer Research Alliance (CCRA) and International Cancer Research Partnership (ICRP), we work collaboratively with breast cancer research funders around the world and with the breast cancer research community in Canada to fund the most innovative and promising projects and people. Our work also includes breast health and breast cancer education. We distribute material across Ontario through clinics, hospitals, and doctor s offices and over 18,000 people visit cbcf.org every month to find the most comprehensive breast health and breast cancer information available in Canada. In 2012, we launched The Pink Tour, visiting over 100 communities across the province, in a 42 foot bus, to provide information on breast health and breast screening at a grass-roots level and encourage eligible women to make an appointment for a mammogram right on the bus. As one of 29 members of Health Charities Coalition of Canada (HCCC), we ensure that Government is taking action on health issues of concern to Canadians. We also work with Government to identify and help fill the gaps in a stretched and complex healthcare system. In 2011, our advocacy efforts resulted in the Ontario government creating the first breast cancer screening program for women at high-risk of developing breast cancer and the first-ever pink page in the 2011 budget. In 2012, we worked in partnership with the National Network on Environments and Women s Health (NNEWH) to advocate for improvements to workplaces with high exposures to carcinogens and hormone disrupting chemicals. This work was informed by CBCF-funded research conducted by Drs. Jim Brophy and Margaret Keith.

help create a future without breast cancer Companies Leading the Way: 20 Victoria Street, 6 th Floor Toronto, ON M5C 2N8 Tel: (416) 815-1313 or toll-free 1 (866) 373-6313 Fax: (416) 815-1766 Web: www.cbcf.org/ontario For More information: Anthony Miceli AMiceli@CBCF.org 416-815-1313 ext. 360 Charitable Registration No. 12799 3608 RR0001 * Reducing the incidence of breast cancer is a long-term goal of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. However, having an impact on disease incidence is complex and challenging, particularly as our aging population grows. It will require a long-term commitment to creating the conditions for a healthier population and healthier communities. To achieve a reduction in incidence, behaviour change to address modifiable risk factors and reduce exposure to carcinogens and hormone-disrupting chemicals must be sustained on a population-wide basis, enabled by evidence-based public policies that make healthier behaviours the easier, more accessible and affordable choices.