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We've partnered with some of the most respected organizations in the breast cancer community. Be a part of our MyBCTeam partner community today.

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National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC)

Accreditation Makes a Difference!

If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with breast cancer, you will have many issues to consider and decisions to make. But there is one thing you won't have to worry about – where to find the best possible treatment for your condition. That's because the best in today's breast cancer care is available at over 500 accredited centers across the country, including Alaska, Hawaii, and the territory of Puerto Rico. Your treatment will be managed efficiently and involve a multidisciplinary approach that includes all the breast specialists responsible for your care at an NAPBC accredited center.

NAPBC accreditation is granted only to those centers that voluntarily commit to providing the best possible care to patients. Each breast center undergoes a rigorous evaluation and review of its performance. To maintain accreditation, centers must monitor compliance with the NAPBC Standards and undergo an on-site review every three years.

The NAPBC encourages hospitals, treatment centers, individual physician practices, and other facilities committed to breast health to improve the quality of care available in their centers through breast-related programs.

Find an NAPBC accredited center near you! (http://www.napbc-breast.org/resources/find.html)

Living Beyond Breast Cancer

LBBC provides services designed to help improve quality of life for women who are newly diagnosed, in treatment, recovery, years beyond their diagnosis or living with metastatic breast cancer as well as resources for family, friends and caregivers. National conferences, monthly webinars, regional community meetings, the Guides to Understanding Breast Cancer and a toll-free Survivors' Helpline are examples of the services that are provided to help them make informed decisions for themselves and their families. If you are or someone you know is living with a history of breast cancer, regardless of stage of diagnosis, age, race, religion, sexual orientation or ability to pay, LBBC can help.

For more information, visit lbbc.org to download a free copy of Empower, LBBC's general information brochure or call (610) 645-4567.

BreastCancerTrials.org

BreastCancerTrials.org (BCT) was founded to empower breast cancer patients, post-treatment survivors, and those at risk to consider clinical trials as a routine option for care. Inspired by the experience of two breast cancer advocates, it launched as a nationwide service in 2008 after the successful conclusion of a research pilot jointly sponsored by the USCF Carol Franc Buck Breast Care Center and the National Cancer Institute (http://www.jmir.org/2012/4/e97/). Operating as a program of Quantum Leap Healthcare Collaborative, it is the only non-profit website dedicated to breast cancer clinical trials.

Helping patients find trials lies at the core of BCT's mission, starting foremost with its personalized matching service through which users identify trials based on their self-reported breast cancer history and, if desired, enroll in the BCT Trial Alert Service to be notified of newly added trials that match their history. In 2012, BCT added QuickViews, for users who wanted to “quickly” identify groups of trials, organized by categories such as vaccine therapy or triple negative breast cancer. Through either trial matching or QuickViews, BCT offers access to over 500 breast cancer trials and research studies, presented in easy-to-read summaries, and covering areas such as treatment, supportive care, quality of life, diagnosis, screening, and complementary and alternative medicine.

Stupid Cancer

Stupid Cancer is a non-profit organization that empowers young adults affected by cancer through innovative and award-winning programs and services. We are the nation's largest support community for this underserved population and serve as a bullhorn for the young adult cancer movement. Our charter is to ensure that no one goes unaware of the age-appropriate support resources they are entitled to so they can get busy living.

Stupidcancer.org is for all types of cancer.

Breast Cancer Connections

Founded in 1993, Breast Cancer Connections (BCC) is a non-profit community organization supporting people touched by breast cancer in the San Francisco Bay Area. BCC is known for their comprehensive services and atmosphere of warmth and compassion. Whether you have just been diagnosed or are seeking wellness, they offer an array of personalized services to meet your needs. Free programs include Support Groups, Buddies, Lending Library, Breast Health Educator, Complementary Therapies, Counseling, Nutrition Workshops, and much more. Breast Cancer Connections also provides access to early detection through their Gabriella Patser Program which pays for screenings and diagnostics for eligible individuals who are uninsured and under 40.

Zero Breast Cancer

Zero Breast Cancer is a non-profit organization dedicated to finding the causes of breast cancer through community participation in the research process. We focus on identifying environmental factors and the role they play in the initiation and progression of breast cancer during all stages of life. Our definition of the environment is broad and includes lifestyle choices, foods and nutrients, prescription drugs, as well as exposures to both natural and synthetic chemicals, toxins and contaminants. We believe the opportunity to prevent breast cancer by altering environmental factors is very promising.

Francine Levien founded the organization in 1995 with a small but committed group of women, all with breast cancer, who were concerned about the high incidence rates of invasive breast cancer in Marin County. Zero Breast Cancer continues to exist because we believe the current incidence rates in Marin County as well as the San Francisco Bay Area remain unacceptably high.

In less than a decade, Zero Breast Cancer has grown from a local grassroots organization to a national leader in conducting community-based participatory research, educating and placing the results of both local and national breast cancer research into the hands of women and the community so that these findings can inform personal and public decision-making processes.

SHARE

SHARE helps people through breast cancer, from diagnosis through treatment and post-treatment, offering the unique support of survivors who've been there. All of SHARE's services are free of charge, confidential, and provided by survivors. SHARE's services include helplines, educational programs, support groups, and public-health initiatives. Call our helpline at 866-891-2392 or visit us at www.sharecancersupport.org.

BFFL Co

After graduating from Johns Hopkins Medical School in 1993, Dr. Elizabeth Chabner Thompson began devoting herself to taking care of women. When her mother developed breast cancer, Elizabeth decided to focus her career on this specific disease, and during her residency, also obtained a Masters Degree in Public Health from Harvard. Elizabeth worked as a Radiation Oncologist while raising her four children. With the support of her husband, she continued to pursue her love of sports (marathon running, open water swimming, tennis and golf) while balancing her career and family.

In 2006, after years of breast surveillance, biopsies, and endless consultations with genetic counselors, Elizabeth underwent prophylactic mastectomies. The experience of recovering from this surgery and the interactions with her physicians led her to begin working in the reconstructive surgery practice, helping other women with the difficult decision-making and recovery from breast surgery.

As an athlete, physician and mother, Elizabeth felt that while the surgeries and radiation treatment for breast cancer have rapidly evolved (in some cases even been revolutionized), however, the garments she could offer to her patients undergoing radiation therapy and surgery were designed in the 1970s, for patients undergoing surgeries of the past.

Also, patients were concerned and confused about their surgeries: “What should I bring to the hospital? Why does this surgical bra hit just where my drains exit? What bra should I wear after my surgery to maximize the cosmetic outcome? When can I begin to exercise again?”

Elizabeth decided to design a fashionable line of bags, bras and surgical accessories for the modern age of breast treatment. Armed with scissors, needle and thread, Elizabeth cut and sewed bras together to meet the needs of the 21st century patient, and BFFL Co was born!

The Breast BFFLBag® and axilla•pilla® were launched in 2011 to enhance the breast cancer patient experience.

Meals to Heal

From 2002 to 2011, Meals to Heal's founder and CEO, Susan Bratton, was touched by the impact that cancer had on her friends and family who suffered from the disease. She noticed that they all suffered from some sort of nutritional issue including lack of appetite, nausea, changes in taste and difficulty swallowing, which impacted their ability to eat and consistently receive a healthy, well-balanced diet. And they struggled with treatment related fatigue and lack of energy. As a result, many experienced significant weight loss, weakened immune systems and depression.

Susan did some research and found that what her friends and family were struggling with was not uncommon in cancer patients and that 50% to 80% of all cancer patients experience some sort of nutritional issue. She found that caregivers also have nutritional issues and suffer from poor nutrition while caring for someone with cancer. She found significant scientific evidence that a proper diet can support and strengthen the immune system, increase energy levels and the ability to withstand and respond to cancer treatment and prevent weight loss. And, that a proper diet is also important after treatment for recurrence prevention. Yet, patients and caregivers struggle to consistently eat healthy, nutritious meals due to lack of time and energy and an absence of any alternative in the market serving cancer patients' and cancer caregivers' unique and important needs.

She found that patients search the internet to find cancer nutrition information but that there are so many websites (102mm) and no way to determine whether they are safe and based on high quality scientific studies or whether they are anecdotal and promise false cures for vast sums of money. This is confusing, frustrating and frightening.

She found that scientific research indicates that early and ongoing nutritional intervention, such as nutritional counseling by a registered dietician, results in improved clinical and quality of life outcomes. Yet 80% of people with cancer never see a nutritionist.

Susan created Meals to Heal to provide a single, comprehensive solution to cancer patients' and their caregivers' nutritional needs – home delivery of healthy, nutritious meals for both patients and caregivers, information that is safe and based on high quality scientific studies and access to experienced, high quality oncology nutrition professionals who hold the Certified Specialist in Oncology (“CSO”) credential.

Bright Pink

Be Brilliant. Be Bold. Be Bright Pink.

Bright Pink is the only national non-profit organization focusing on the prevention and early detection of breast and ovarian cancer in young women, while providing support for high-risk individuals.

We are passionate about enlightening and empowering young women to be proactive with their breast and ovarian health. We are the big sister, the best friend, the trusted advisor, the dependable source of support. We are optimistic, collaborative and solution-oriented. Brilliant, bold, and bright.

Our vision is a world (with lots of pink) where every young woman proactively develops, and lives by, a personalized breast and ovarian cancer risk reduction or early detection strategy, while being lifted up and supported by a community of vibrant, confident, and inspiring women all seeking the same happy ending - a better, brighter future.