New York, NY, 2016-Oct-18 — /EPR Retail News/ — Today (October 13, 2016), Pfizer Oncology and the Avon Foundation for Women announced the 2016 recipients of the Avon-Pfizer Metastatic Breast Cancer Grants Program: Identify-Amplify-Unify. In total, 22 non-profit organizations will receive grants totaling $1 million in funding to support and educate metastatic breast cancer patients, their caregivers and their communities.
Metastatic disease is the most advanced stage of breast cancer. It occurs when cancer spreads beyond the breast to other parts of the body, such as the bones, lungs, liver and brain. There are no cures currently available, and continuous treatment is needed to further control the spread of the disease and manage its symptoms. Up to 30 percent of women who have had early breast cancer will eventually develop metastatic disease.
“Women diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer face certain challenges because of the nature of their disease, and we want to ensure that they are supported through best practices in comprehensive care,” said Carolyn Ricci, Program Director of the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade. “Our hope is that this initiative with Pfizer will increase the ways the health care system can meet the needs of metastatic patients and provide concrete examples of patient-centered programs that can be replicated across the country.”
The 22 grantee organizations will receive grants ranging from $25,000 to $75,000, to:
• Address gaps in services for the metastatic breast cancer community, including medical, psychological, nutritional, complementary and integrative services, support, financial and legal support.
• Distribute resources and services available to vulnerable populations, including through telemedicine.
• Share educational resources with the public focusing on metastatic disease, palliative care, treatment options, clinical trials, access to holistic medication, and complementary medicine.
“Pfizer is proud to join the Avon Foundation for Women in supporting these 22 exciting projects and continuing to meet the unique needs of people with metastatic breast cancer through this important partnership,” said Matt Shaulis, regional president, North America, Pfizer Oncology. “We have seen the meaningful difference the initial round of grants have made in addressing gaps in services, support and resources for patients across the U.S. and are looking forward to expanding the impact of the program with this year’s recipients.”
The 2016 grantees include:
• Breastcancer.org (Ardmore, Pa.)
• Cancer Resource Center of the Desert (El Centro, Calif.)
• Cancer Support Community San Francisco Bay Area (San Francisco, Calif.)
• Charlotte Maxwell Complementary Clinic (Oakland, Calif.)
• Cooper Health System (Camden, N.J.)
• Emory University for the benefit of Winship Cancer Institute and Grady Memorial Hospital (Atlanta, Ga.)
• God’s Love We Deliver (New York, N.Y.)
• H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research (Tampa, Fla.)
• Living Beyond Breast Cancer (Haverford, Pa.)
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (New York, N.Y.)
• New York Legal Assistance Group (New York, N.Y.)
• Baptist Health Care Foundation of Montgomery (Montgomery, Ala.)
• Newark Beth Israel Medical Center Foundation (Newark, N.J.)
• Nueva Vida Inc. (Washington, DC)
• Patient Advocate Foundation Inc. (Hampton, Va.)
• Penn State University College of Medicine (Hershey, Pa.)
• Quantum Leap Health Care Collaborative for the benefit of BreastCancerTrials.org (San Francisco, Calif.)
• Shanti Project Inc. (San Francisco, Calif.)
• SHARE Self-help for Women with Breast or Ovarian Cancer Inc. (New York, N.Y.)
• The Breast Cancer Resource Centers Of Texas Inc. (Austin, Texas)
• The George Washington University (Washington, DC)
• Women’s Cancer Resource Center (San Francisco, Calif.)
The Avon-Pfizer Metastatic Breast Cancer Grants Program was created in June 2014 to support advocacy, academic and other nonprofit organizations that provide information and services to help people with metastatic breast cancer navigate the medical and emotional challenges associated with their disease. To date, the partners have invested $2 million towards this goal. The first class of grantees announced last year helped more than 32,800 individuals through efforts including nutrition counseling, patient navigation, education and complementary care. Nearly 230 caregivers also benefitted from grantee initiatives, and many more families and community members were supported by this work. In addition, some programs included online content, reaching more than 14 million people with information on metastatic breast cancer.
About Pfizer Oncology
Pfizer Oncology is committed to pursuing innovative treatments that have a meaningful impact on those living with cancer. As a leader in oncology speeding cures and accessible breakthrough medicines to patients, Pfizer Oncology is helping to redefine life with cancer. Our strong pipeline of biologics, small molecules and immunotherapies, one of the most robust in the industry, is studied with precise focus on identifying and translating the best scientific breakthroughs into clinical application for patients across a wide range of cancers. By working collaboratively with academic institutions, individual researchers, cooperative research groups, governments and licensing partners, Pfizer Oncology strives to cure or control cancer with its breakthrough medicines. Because Pfizer Oncology knows that success in oncology is not measured solely by the medicines you manufacture, but rather by the meaningful partnerships you make to have a more positive impact on people’s lives.
About the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade
Since 1992, the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade has been working to improve breast cancer outcomes and reduce disparities in survival rates. The Crusade’s strategic grant making reflects: a holistic and place-based approach in high-need areas throughout the United States; a commitment to enabling access to medical advances and support services for breast cancer patients, particularly those from vulnerable populations; and a commitment to investing in research on the prevention, diagnostics, and treatment of breast cancer. In the U.S., Avon Breast Cancer Crusade manages the Avon Foundation for Women’s breast cancer programs. The Avon Foundation for Women partners with affiliate Avon Foundations and Avon markets around the world for additional programming. In total, Avon and the Foundation have contributed more than $800 million to breast cancer programs around the world through 2015. To learn more, visit: www.avonfoundation.org.
About Avon and the Avon Foundation for Women
Avon is a global corporate leader in philanthropy focused on causes that matter most to women. Through 2015, Avon and the Avon Foundation for Women have contributed over $1 billion in over 50 countries. Avon’s funding is focused on breast cancer research and advancing access to quality care through the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade, and efforts to reduce domestic and gender violence through its Speak Out Against Domestic Violence program. The company’s global markets sell special products to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer and domestic violence, conduct hundreds of events for these causes, and educate women around the world through its global network of nearly six million Avon Representatives.
[1] American Cancer Society. Breast cancer: what is cancer? http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/cid/documents/webcontent/003090-pdf.pdf
[2] O’Shaughnessy J. Extending survival with chemotherapy in metastatic breast cancer. The Oncologist.2005;10:20-29. http://theoncologist.alphamedpress.org/content/10/suppl_3/20.long. Accessed May 15, 2014.
Media Contacts:
Liz Micci
The Glover Park Group
+1 (646) 495-2700
emicci@gpg.com
Kristina Jorge
Avon Corporate Communications
+1 (212) 282-5852
Kristina.Jorge@avonusa.com
Source: Avon