Disclosure: This post is sponsored by MBC in connection to 5 Minutes for Mom.
Faces of MBC: Metastatic Breast Cancer Day #MBCProgress
I hope you didn’t let the day go by unrecognized. October 13th was the 5th Anniversary of MBCA Day. I’m guilty. With all the chatter about Breast Cancer month I forgot to recognized those that have been touched by Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC). Since 2008 MBCA Day has been recognizing the unique needs of those who live with Stage IV or advanced breast cancer, MBC.
Most of you already know that my mother is a breast cancer survivor. She was diagnosed very early on and with surgery to remove the cancerous tumor and a long period of radiation treatment and hormone therapy she is today cancer free. She has remained cancer free now for over seven years and we are thankful for that miracle every day. However, not everyone is so lucky and since MBCA Day was established a lot has changed to help those living with MBC.
There is good news this year for MBCA Day as overall fewer people in the U.S. are dying from breast cancer and those living with the disease are living longer according to a national report on cancer incidence by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), American Cancer Society (ACS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR).
As great as the new treatments are for MBC the outlook for the next five years is still startling with an estimate of approximately 40,000 people who will die each year from MBC since there is still no cure.
Genentech has launched an interactive video wall on Facesofmbc.org to gather sentiments for the 5th Anniversary of MBCA Day in regards to what it means to those within the MBC community and their family and friends. It’s not too late to get involved. Faces of MBC is asking participants to share through photos, words of wisdom and videos:
…a milestone within the past five years that makes you proud. It could be a personal accomplishment – big or small – or progress you’ve noticed within the MBC community.
…a hope for the future. What’s something you would like to accomplish or hope to see happen in the MBC community in the next five years?
Genentech will donate $10 for each new upload and $1 for every unique page visit to nonprofits that support MBC initiatives (up to $20,000). Everyone can make a difference!
Help Faces of MBC celebrate the successes of the last five years and continue to push for future progress.
Please visit www.facesofmbc.org, follow @FacesofMBC and the hashtag #MBCProgress and share with your friends and family.
Metastatic Breast Cancer Patient Story
A decade ago, Jennifer Schreck and her husband adopted two little boys. Only a few short years later, when Jennifer was 33-years-old, she was diagnosed with HER2-positive* metastatic breast cancer, which restricted her to a wheelchair.
Despite these newfound challenges, Jennifer never gave up. After endless treatments, participation in a clinical trial was her ticket back to swimming, hiking and the active lifestyle she had been forced to abandon. Most importantly, Jennifer was wheelchair-free.
* HER2-positive breast cancer is one form of breast cancer. Characterized by aggressive growth and a poor prognosis, it affects approximately 25 percent of women with breast cancer. Targeted treatment options in combination with chemotherapy are available for people with this form of the disease.
Faces of MBC Overview
- Genentech has partnered with Living Beyond Breast Cancer, Metastatic Breast Cancer Network, and MetaVivor to recognize the 155,000 people living in the US with metastatic breast cancer (MBC), a disease for which there currently is no cure. Beyond seeking a cure, these women hope for more acceptance, support and resources. Unlike those with early stage breast cancer, these people will likely remain on treatment for the rest of their lives.
- To help understand MBC families’ unique support needs, Genentech created a survey and used results from the survey to develop a sequel to last year’s Faces of MBC video, featuring real women living with the disease and their supporters.
More about Metastatic Breast Cancer
- 155,000 people in the United States are living with metastatic breast cancer, also known as advanced breast cancer.
- Breast cancer is considered metastatic when it has spread from the breast to another part of the body, such as the bones, liver, lungs or brain.
- Currently, there is no cure for metastatic breast cancer.
