NATIONAL BREAST CANCER COALITION FUND 2004 Annual Report REVOLUTION! “ We were the anti-war advocates of the ‘60s. We were in the women’s rights’ movement in the ‘70s. We’re now getting breast cancer, and we’re not used to being quiet.” — Fran Visco, NBCCF president,Boomer Nation: The Largest and Richest Generation Ever and How it Changed America (June 2004) Driven by the power of educated activists who health care issues that affect their lives. NBCCF’s main know how to make a real difference, the National goals are to increase federal funding for breast cancer Breast Cancer Coalition Fund is the nation’s leading research and collaborate with the scientific community grassroots advocacy organization dedicated to to implement new models of research; improve access ending breast cancer. With its coalition of hundreds of to high-quality health care and clinical trials for all organizations and tens of thousands of individuals, women; and educate advocates in all aspects of the NBCCF empowers women and their families to speak breast cancer decisionmaking process. up -- and out -- about the political, scientific and 2004 ANNUAL REPORT 3 Dear Supporter: You know us. You know our spirit. The National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund was founded on the belief that we cannot keep knocking at the door, politely begging for help in a ladylike way. We have to arm ourselves with knowledge, science and determination, and take our rightful place at the table. We are leading a revolution to change the way our nation perceives and prioritizes breast cancer. It is insane that breast cancer rates are rising. It is appalling that we do not know why. It is insulting that we have to hound our leaders to pay attention, that low-income women cannot get the care that could save their lives, and that all women must rely on unacceptable methods of testing and incomplete choices of treatment. Because of this, nothing less than a revolution will satisfy us. This annual report outlines a year of progress, victory, setback and innovation for both the National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund and its grassroots sister organization, the politically active National Breast Cancer Coalition. Before you delve into the stories and signs of hope and progress on every page, I want to stop to say something very important: Thank you. We value your involvement with the Coalition. With the help of dedicated individuals, NBCCF has been able to increase federal funding for breast cancer research; create a grassroots advocacy network of hundreds of organizations and tens of thousands of individuals; develop partnerships between scientists, advocates and legislators to develop sound public policy and advance research and health care; earn the respect of lawmakers; and open new doors to ensure that all women have access to quality diagnostic and treatment options. Yet there is so much more that we must do. We cannot rest until we beat this senseless, cruel, heartbreaking disease. I hope that you will rededicate yourself to the National Breast Cancer Coalition and Fund and support our revolution in the year to come. We cannot do it without you. Yours, Fran Visco, President 4 NATIONAL BREAST CANCER COALITION FUND REVOLUTION IN BREAST CANCER. “ There is a lot of noise, pink all over the place, all that talk distracts us from the real issue, which is we don’t know how to fight this disease… We are not going to solve the breast cancer problem only by walking walks. We need to focus on the work to reduce the incidence and mortality.” — Carolina Hinestrosa, NBCCF executive vice president, Agence France Presse (October 2004) For 14 years, the National Breast Cancer Coalition tens of thousands of individual members working Fund has empowered and trained advocates to be toward increased federal funding for breast cancer effective in every aspect of the fight to end breast research and collaborating with the scientific cancer. We give women the tools to make informed community to implement new models of research, decisions and to work beside legislative, scientific improve access to high-quality health care and breast and clinical decisionmakers. NBCCF also helps guide cancer clinical trials for all women, and expand the the public through the maze of information on breast influence of breast cancer advocates whenever and cancer. wherever breast cancer decisions are made. NBCCF’s sister organization, the National Breast Together, NBCCF and NBCC empower advocates to Cancer Coalition, trains advocates at the national, be effective in every aspect of the fight to end breast state and local levels to lobby for policies that impact cancer. With your help, we will continue to make breast cancer research, diagnosis and treatment. significant progress. And, we won’t stop until we NBCC has hundreds of member organizations and have won. 6 NATIONAL BREAST CANCER COALITION FUND CALENDAR January 2004 April 2004 June 2004 Project LEAD® in New LEADgradsonline. NBCCF hosts Phoenix hosts faculty com website increases International Project to plan for first-ever communication, science LEAD® in Madrid, Spain, international session training and continuing for 33 participants education among from 22 nations March 2004 LEAD® graduates NBCCF helps complete New NBCCF enrollment for clinical NBCCF’s Ninth Annual headquarters at trial of BCIRG 006 New York Gala honors 1101 17th St. NW Herceptin® breast cancer advocates in Washington, D.C., and survivors Coral opens Pilot Quality Care Cochran, Betsey Johnson Project LEAD® and Mildred Leigh-Gold September 2004 emphasizes health Barr Labs and GPhA care system change May 2004 sponsor the Annual NBCC activists schedule Advocacy in Action and attend more than Golf Classic 400 congressional visits on Lobby Day after NBCCF’s New York Gala fundraiser attending NBCCF’s On April 27, 2004, event chair Ronald O. Perelman Annual Advocacy joined Revlon in support of the NBCCF’s Ninth Annual Training Conference New York Gala dinner held at the Manhattan Center. in Washington, D.C. Julianne Moore (pictured above) and her husband, Bart Freundlich, were honorary chairs for the evening. Entertainment included Jon Bon Jovi in a rare acoustic performance. 2004 ANNUAL REPORT 7 October 2004 February 2005 April 2005 June 2005 The Fourth Annual NBCCF President Fran NBCCF President Fran Era of Hope public forum Los Angeles Cabaret Visco presents the annual Visco speaks on “Taking meeting in Philadelphia fundraises for NBCCF address to Washington Control of your Health: reviews and reports on and features University School of Law What Can You Believe?” breast cancer research performances from during its Public Interest during “Times Talks,” that has been funded Peri Gilpin, Jane Leeves, Law Speakers Series in The New York Times through the U.S. David Hyde-Pierce, St. Louis Speaker Series Department of Defense Allison Janney, Christine Breast Cancer Research Lahti, Eric McCormack, March 2005 May 2005 Program which was created Tia Texada, Ana Gasteyer Sen. Hillary Clinton NBCCF celebrates as a result of NBCCF’s and Lauren Graham at (D-NY) speaks at the 10th anniversary of efforts the Henry Fonda Music NBCCF’s Insider’s Project LEAD®, which has Box Theater Briefing on Breast Cancer had more than 1,200 and Women’s Health graduates to date December 2004 Care Policy in New York San Francisco-area breast NBCCF’s Annual cancer activists, survivors NBCCF reception in Advocacy Training and the community gather Washington, D.C., honors Conference in for the Ninth Annual San Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) Washington, D.C., Francisco Gala’s evening for her exceptional efforts trains activists for of talent, entertainment to create a system of congressional visits and recognition health care access for on Lobby Day — NBCCF honored thousands of low-income survivors and advocates women with breast and Arlyne Draper and Betty cervical cancer Mewborn 8 NATIONAL BREAST CANCER COALITION FUND REVOLUTION IN RESEARCH. Approximately 3 million women in the United States are living with breast cancer. Of that total, an estimated 1 million do not yet know they have the disease. It is not enough to demand more money for current We do not know why so many are affected by breast breast cancer research. We require a radical cancer, but we aim to find out. About 270,000 women transformation of the current system — incremental are diagnosed with breast cancer each year; and about change or maintenance of the status quo is just 40,000 women will die from it before our next annual simply not enough. report goes to print. Raw data proves our point: Each unnecessary death is tragic — a slap in the face of our nation, a technologically advanced nation in • In the United States, one woman dies of breast which medical treatment is considered among the cancer every 13 minutes. finest. Our children need their mothers, our partners • The chance of a woman dying of breast cancer is need their lovers, and our friends should not have to about 1 in 33. mourn the passing of someone they love because the research field is unable to break out of its comfortable • Breast cancer is the most common cancer among boundaries and find early detection systems, new woman of all ages, except for certain kinds of skin treatments and ultimately prevention and cures for a cancers. Today, a woman’s risk of breast cancer lethal disease that affects so many of us. is one in seven. The current system has not produced the innovation needed for prevention or a cure. So, NBCCF is demanding a revolution in research. 2004 ANNUAL REPORT 9 Despite believing that research is one of the best weapons we have to eradicate breast cancer, NBCCF recognizes that the financial resources available to complete this task are finite. Therefore, it is critical that breast cancer research be as effective as possible.