BCA_Spring Outlook '21

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outlook SPRING 2021 — VOLUME 27

MESSAGE FROM MEG RUSSELL, BCA PRESIDENT

OUR MISSION The mission of Breast Cancer Alliance is to improve survival rates and quality of life for those impacted by breast cancer through better prevention, early detection, treatment and cure. To promote these goals, we invest in innovative research, breast surgery fellowships, regional education, dignified support and screening for the underserved.

IN THIS ISSUE 2 • Message from Meg Russell, BCA President (continued) • Family Game Night

3 • Message from Yonni Wattenmaker, BCA Executive Director

4 • BCA’s 25th Anniversary Luncheon

5 • Meet BCA’s New Board Members

6 • Wellness Month &

• Get Fit for Hope

8 • Research Spotlights

• 2021 Grants

10 • One Man’s Story 12 • Just BeCAuse

• Pain Management Medical Symposium

As I write this letter on a brutally cold February morning, I can’t help but look ahead to the day this newsletter will arrive in your mailbox. I’m picturing a sunny, warm April morning with the crocuses and daffodils making their first appearances. For many reasons, I’m feeling hopeful about the months that lay ahead. The spring season signifies renewal and, after a challenging 2020, the spirit at BCA certainly mirrors that sense of renewal. Additionally, we are marking the 25th anniversary of our founding and there is much to celebrate. We are beginning our fiscal year now with three new Board Members, each of whom bring their own unique set of talents to BCA. Amy Dates Carbone, Sandra Caruso and Stephanie Latham have all been engaged with BCA over the years and we are thrilled to welcome them formally onto our Board of Directors. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge three valuable longtime Board Members whose terms have ended. Lisa Fischer, Ellen Schapps Richman and Loren Taufield have all served BCA tirelessly for many years and their voices will be sorely missed. However, their hard work and commitment have left BCA in a better place than when they joined and we are not only eternally grateful for their passionate dedication, but look forward to their continued involvement in the years ahead. At the close of each fiscal year, we determine how many Education and Outreach Grants, Research Grants and Breast Surgery Fellowships we will be able to fund, based on the previous year’s net income. In 2020, we were proud to have granted a record amount, nearly

$2 million. When COVID-19 exploded in March of last year, we were able to adjust our projected revenue for this year, being more conservative and realistic given the constantly-changing restrictions on events and social gatherings and challenges for philanthropy in an unknown fiscal climate. We reimagined longstanding events and added new ones which entertained and informed our loyal supporters without asking them to leave their homes. In doing so, we raised more than we projected and are thrilled to be able to support 24 impactful grants about which you can read on page 10. However, we are still a long way The grants BCA from where we make are crucial imagined we would be at this components in the time, our 25th race to eradicate anniversary.

breast cancer.

BCA is not alone in having to recalibrate at this time. The impact that COVID has had on fundraising is widespread and enduring, yet the need is greater than ever. While that sounds like a cliché, it couldn’t be more accurate. The grants BCA make are crucial components in the race to eradicate breast cancer. The fellowships we support mean that there will be more surgeons available who are trained specifically in the most cutting-edge, life-saving techniques in far-reaching U.S. neighborhoods where specialized breast surgeons or breast centers may never have existed before. The research grants we fund mean that novel approaches will have an opportunity to see the light of day, leading to breakthroughs in early detection and treatment. Continued on page 2

Spring 2021 1


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