January 2019 Message from MBCC Executive Director

Dear Friends in Prevention,  

Thanks to your sustained vision, generosity, and support, Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition (MBCC) continues to work towards the mission of prevention by advancing our understanding and awareness of the environmental factors linked to breast cancer. We enter 2019 with a full agenda in support of our mission.    

This year, MBCC will adapt our Let’s Talk Prevention: Actions You Can Take program to fit middle school curriculums and lay the groundwork for collaborating with elementary schools.  

Additionally, MBCC is embarking on a five-year study with researchers from Silent Spring Institute, Northeastern University, and Michigan State University on PFAS-REACH (PFAS Research, Education, and Action for Community Health), funded by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, to address the harmful effects of PFASs in children and support communities affected by contaminated drinking water. MBCC will support the community outreach for this research.    

Scientists are concerned that exposures to chemicals that alter mammary gland development may increase the risk of breast cancer. With increasing evidence that some water supplies contain dangerous levels of contaminants, MBCC will continue to press state legislators to support comprehensive drinking water and groundwater research and will urge the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to adopt stricter drinking water and environmental standards for PFASs as part of MBCC’s 2019 Water Quality Campaign.  MBCC is determined to reach more Massachusetts citizens and share crucial information about how to reduce their exposure to toxic chemicals and make changes to protect themselves, their families, and their communities.

MBCC could not have accomplished all it did in 2018 without you, our supporters. Whether you made a financial contribution, supported our fundraising events, or donated your time as a volunteer, your dedication is key to our continued success. There is still much work to be done to make breast cancer prevention possible, and we are grateful to have you by our side in the coming year.    

With deep gratitude,