Breakaway From Cancer® Launches 'Striking the Balance' Podcast Series to Inspire Action and Change Across the Cancer Continuum

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Oct 20, 2010, 06:00 ET

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif., Oct. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Amgen announced today the launch of the Breakaway from Cancer® initiative's "Striking the Balance" podcast series. The series presents the best moments from a dynamic, first-of-its-kind roundtable event held with Amgen's four nonprofit Breakaway from Cancer partner organizations at the 2010 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting.

The podcast series aims to highlight potential areas for improvement throughout the spectrum of cancer care. The series also includes 10 "mandates for change" for the cancer community and health policymakers that were drafted and ratified by the Breakaway from Cancer partner organizations. These mandates, which are presented in the final episode of the four-part series, are intended to form a roadmap for future advocacy efforts.

Founded in 2005 by Amgen, Breakaway from Cancer is a national initiative to increase awareness of important resources available to people affected by cancer -- from prevention through survivorship. Breakaway from Cancer represents a partnership between Amgen and four nonprofit organizations dedicated to empowering patients and caregivers through education, resources and hope.

The "Striking the Balance" podcast series features leaders from each of the four BFC partner organizations – Carolyn "Bo" Aldige, president and founder, Prevent Cancer Foundation; Kim Thiboldeaux, president and CEO, Cancer Support Community; Nancy Davenport-Ennis, founder and CEO, Patient Advocate Foundation; and Thomas P. Sellers, president and CEO, National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship – as well as distinguished community and academic oncologists, Drs. Lee Schwartzberg and John Marshall; special guest speaker Patrick Dempsey, actor and founder of the Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope and Healing, who joined the meeting virtually via videoconference; and Susan Dentzer, editor-in-chief of Health Affairs and contributor to "PBS NewsHour", moderator of the roundtable.

Episodes one and two in the "Striking the Balance" podcast series are available now for download at www.breakawayfromcancer.com, and are provided in both audio and video formats. Episodes three and four will be made available on Oct. 26 and Nov. 2, 2010, respectively.

More information about Breakaway from Cancer, including free valuable resources offered by Amgen's nonprofit partners, is available at www.breakawayfromcancer.com.

About Breakaway from Cancer

Founded in 2005 by Amgen as a complementary component to the Company's title sponsorship of the Amgen Tour of California, Breakaway from Cancer is designed to help empower people affected by cancer. Breakaway from Cancer supports the services of four nonprofit organizations: Prevent Cancer Foundation, Cancer Support Community (formed by the merger of The Wellness Community and Gilda's Club), Patient Advocate Foundation, and National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship. For more information, please visit www.breakawayfromcancer.com.

About Amgen

Amgen discovers, develops, manufactures and delivers innovative human therapeutics. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen was one of the first companies to realize the new science's promise by bringing safe and effective medicines from lab, to manufacturing plant, to patient. Amgen therapeutics have changed the practice of medicine, helping millions of people around the world in the fight against cancer, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and other serious illnesses. With a broad and deep pipeline of potential new medicines, Amgen remains committed to advancing science to dramatically improve people's lives. To learn more about Amgen's pioneering science and vital medicines, visit www.amgen.com.

About Prevent Cancer Foundation

Prevent Cancer Foundation was started in 1985. Today, it is one of the nation's leading health organizations and has catapulted cancer prevention to prominence. Through healthy lifestyle choices, you can reduce your risk of breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, oral, prostate, skin and testicular cancers. Since its inception the Foundation has provided more than $113 million in support of cancer prevention and early detection research, education and community outreach programs. The Foundation's peer-reviewed grants have been awarded to nearly 450 scientists from more than 150 of the leading academic medical centers nationwide. This research has been pivotal in developing a body of knowledge that is the basis for important cancer prevention and early detection strategies. For more information, please visit www.preventcancer.org.

About Cancer Support Community

Backed by evidence that the best cancer care includes emotional and social support, Cancer Support Community offers these services to all people affected by cancer. Likely the largest professionally-led network of cancer support worldwide, the organization delivers a comprehensive menu of personalized and essential services. Because no cancer care plan is complete without emotional and social support, Cancer Support Community has a vibrant network of community-based centers and online services run by trained and licensed professionals. In July 2009, The Wellness Community and Gilda's Club joined forces to become the Cancer Support Community. The combined organization provides high-quality psychological and social support through a network of nearly 50 local affiliates, more than 100 satellite locations and online. For more information, visit www.cancersupportcommunity.org.

About Patient Advocate Foundation

Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF) was established in 1996 as a national 501(c)3 organization with a mission of removing obstacles to accessing health care for people with chronic, life threatening, and/or debilitating illnesses assuring access to care, maintenance of employment and preservation of their financial stability. Through the work of professional case management staff, patients have come to rely upon PAF as the providers of direct mediation, negotiation, and arbitration support. Additionally, educational materials directly related to patients' specific issues are included. PAF specializes in insurance appeals, pre-authorization, coding, billing, social security disability income access (SSDI), and medical debt crisis resolution. For more information, visit www.patientadvocate.org.

About National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship

NCCS advocates for quality cancer care for all Americans and provides tools that empower people affected by cancer to advocate for themselves. Founded by and for cancer survivors, NCCS created the widely accepted definition of survivorship and considers someone a cancer survivor from the time of diagnosis through the balance of life. Its free publications and resources include the award-winning Cancer Survival Toolbox®, www.canceradvocacy.org/toolbox, a self-learning audio program created by leading cancer organizations to help people develop essential skills to meet the challenges of their illness. More information is available at www.canceradvocacy.org or 1-888-650-9127.