There was a time in Canada when breast cancer was a taboo subject. Women who were diagnosed were faced with limited treatment options, few community supports and a sense of silence pervading any discussion of what was – or was not – being done to improve their chances and their lives. For the past quarter-century, thanks to a grassroots organization of concerned Canadians, things have started to change. The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation is proud to be part of that story.
This week, the National Film Board of Canada is releasing a film called Pink Ribbons, Inc., which is critical of the role corporations play in funding the breast cancer cause. While the film raises an interesting dialogue, it does a disservice to the hard work and advocacy of people across this province whose contributions have made a tremendous impact on women’s lives over the last 25 years.
Together, with our community, our volunteers and our individual and corporate donors, we have a lot to be proud of. The knowledge that has been gained by CBCF-funded research has had a tremendous impact on women’s lives. Not only are we starting to better understand how to reduce breast cancer risk, we can detect it earlier, we can diagnose it more accurately, we can treat it more effectively, and we can improve the quality of life for those who have been affected.
The landscape has changed. The mortality rate for breast cancer has dropped by 35 per cent since 1986. Since 1990, Ontario has had an organized breast screening program in place for all women aged 50-69. Progress is being made to better understand the risk factors for breast cancer and at CBCF, we are helping women make informed decisions about reducing their risk. However, with one in nine women still being diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime, there is still a lot more work to do.
If you have any questions about how our donor dollars are spent, how our research process works, or about our dedicated team of Board Members, we invite you to review our latest Annual Report. Also available on our website is a list of Questions to Ask when you’re buying a pink ribbon product. And as always, we invite you to contact us at questions@cbcf.org.
The members of our community are changing the world. This year in Ontario, more than 120,000 of you volunteered your time, donated your money, organized or participated in fundraising, grant decision making or advocacy efforts. We want to assure you that your work and our community make a difference.
Together, we will continue to move forward until we reach our vision of a future without breast cancer.
Deborah Dubenofsky
Chair, Ontario Region Board of Directors |
Sandra Palmaro
CEO, Ontario Region |
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