Susan G. Komen, in partnership with the Milburn Foundation and Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Foundation raised more than half a million dollars in March to fund research into inflammatory breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease.

The initial campaign goal was $100,000, with the campaign raising more than $548,000.

“Our partnership has already allowed us to fund important research, and will go a long way toward helping to reduce deaths from breast cancer.”
Ellen Willmott

“IBC is often difficult to diagnose because it does not usually present with a lump. Its main symptoms are redness, swelling or a rash, and many physicians aren’t familiar with this less common type of breast cancer,” said Victoria Wolodzko, vice president of Research and Community Health Program Operations at Dallas-based Susan G. Komen. “This is particularly alarming because it means women with IBC are being diagnosed at advanced stages, when there are not as many treatment options and odds of survival are lower.”

Milburn and IBCRF matched all donations to Komen, the second time the three organizations partnered in the name of IBC research.

During fall 2016, the partners issued funding to researchers John Martens of Erasmus Universitair Medisch Centrum Rotterdam, and Mihaela Skobe of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

“Our partnership has already allowed us to fund important research, and will go a long way toward helping to reduce deaths from breast cancer,” said Ellen Willmott, interim president and CEO for Susan G. Komen. “Komen has set a bold goal to reduce the current number of breast cancer deaths by 50 percent in the U.S. by 2026, but we know we will not be able to achieve this alone — only as a community, which is why our partnership with the Milburn Foundation and the Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Foundation is so valuable.”

KOMEN HAS RAISED MORE THAN $920M TO FIGHT BREAST CANCER

Founded in 1982, Komen is the world’s largest breast cancer organization, and in those years, has funded more than $920 million in research. It has provided more than $2 billion to screening, education, treatment, and psychological support programs serving people in 30 countries globally.

The Milburn Foundation is a private charitable organization that works through partnerships to support progressive research to cure breast cancer and Triple Negative Inflammatory Breast Cancer. 

The Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Foundation was incorporated in 1999 after being started by advocates who met via an email list and website known as IBC Support. It uses the internet to increase awareness and provide accurate information about IBC and IBC research.

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