Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation Launches "Commit to Love" Campaign
October Campaign Reflects the Foundation's Broader Efforts to Close the Diversity Gap in Breast Cancer Research
ENCINO, Calif., Oct. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation today announced the launch of its "Commit to Love" campaign, a national effort to decrease racial and ethnic disparities in breast cancer deaths in the U.S. The campaign will raise awareness about the lack of diversity in breast cancer research and encourage women of all ethnicities -- regardless of whether they have been diagnosed with breast cancer -- to join Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation's Army of Women®, the nation's largest research population dedicated to mobilizing a future without breast cancer.
An African-American woman diagnosed with breast cancer today is 42% more likely to die from the disease than a white woman diagnosed with breast cancer. Breast cancer is a leading cause of death among Latinas and it is the second leading cause of death among Asians and Pacific Islanders. Yet, as in other areas of medical research, women of color are underrepresented. Studies show that only 12% of Latinas, 6% of African Americans, and 7% of Asian and Pacific Islanders are represented in national research efforts.
"The ability of researchers to study how breast cancer specifically and uniquely affects women of color -- and how best to treat it -- will remain critically compromised until we have more women of color enrolled in breast cancer research studies," said Dr. Susan Love, Chief Visionary Officer of Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation. "Our goal is to have the Commit to Love campaign inspire all communities to join the Army of Women, ensuring that no researcher has an excuse for lack of diversity among their participants."
"Commit to Love" is anchored by an innovative five-part online video series that captures powerful testimonials from three women—an African-American, a Latina, and an Asian—who have been personally affected by breast cancer. Their stories shine a spotlight on the critical need to diversify breast cancer research participants.
To broaden the campaign's reach, Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation is collaborating with Share Cancer Support and the Tigerlily Foundation, as well as other advocacy groups. Share Cancer Support educates and empowers women of all ethnicities facing breast and ovarian cancer. The Tigerlily Foundation is committed to providing education, awareness, advocacy and hands-on-support to young women, ages 15-45 years old, before, during and after breast cancer.
"Commit to Love" is the most recent example of the Foundation's commitment to visionary research, accessible educational resources, and inclusive community engagement. It will also raise renewed awareness around the Foundation's groundbreaking Army of Women program, which forges partnerships between women and men and the scientific community, teaches them about the clinical research process, and connects them with innovative research studies.
Army of Women has, to date, enrolled over 380,000 women and men in research studies that range from investigating the causes of breast cancer and prevention to exploring survivors' quality of life to finding new treatments for metastatic breast cancer. With "Commit to Love," Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation hopes to increase the number of women of color who learn about and enroll in the program.
To learn more about the campaign and join the movement, visit CommitToLove.org.
About Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation:
Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation is dedicated to mobilizing a future without breast cancer by igniting visionary, collaborative research and a distinctive approach to education. The Foundation makes innovative breast cancer research possible by generating bold ideas and enlisting the best experts, both inside and outside of the field of cancer research, to understand the complex nature of breast cancer, and the experience of those impacted by the disease. Its approach to education reflects an understanding of the patient, the doctor and research advances, ensuring that everyone has the knowledge to be their own health advocate.
The Foundation's cutting-edge research includes: 1) A collaboration with NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory to understand the structure of the breast ducts and ultimately construct a 3D map of the breast ductal system; and 2) The Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC) Collateral Damage project, which pioneered a novel approach to understanding the breast cancer experience using crowd-sourced information to uncover the hidden physical, financial, and psychological costs of living with breast cancer that has metastasized.
Learn more at DrSusanLoveResearch.org, and connect with the Foundation on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
SOURCE Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation
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