This year the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition is launching new campaigns towards our mission of breast cancer prevention. We know that early detection is not enough to stop this epidemic and are continually evaluating new, innovative strategies that will further prioritize and make progress towards true disease prevention. Below is our 4-part plan for 2012.
Medical Community Organizing Project
Establish the MA Health Professionals for Breast Cancer Prevention Network (Network), a strong network of medical professionals to advocate on behalf of the importance of breast cancer prevention, to disseminate prevention information to patients and to prioritize primary prevention of this disease within the overall medical community. Goals of this campaign include:
- Establish an advisory committee
- Educate medical professionals on environmental links to breast cancer and recruit participation into Network
- Empower patients to be better educated about prevention and to discuss the importance of this issue with their own physicians
- Partner with Silent Spring Institute to develop evidence-based report and presentations appropriate for medical audience.
State-Based Policy Campaign
Effect broad-based change by launching new breast cancer prevention focused state legislation, developed with support from Silent Spring Institute and other experts. Legislation will be filed in December in time for the new 2013 legislative session.
Northeast Breast Cancer Prevention Network
Within the Northeast are many established cancer organizations prioritizing breast cancer prevention, like the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition, with great histories of effecting change but, limited resources. While working on this common issue, many of these organizations operate with little communication or coordination with other like-minded groups in other states. By establishing a Northeast Breast Cancer Prevention Network (NBCPN), the opportunity to effect greater change towards the common goal of breast cancer prevention can be enhanced through established communication channels, resource sharing, and the opportunity to share a stronger, and therefore more effective, voice – together.
MBCC Community Leadership Team and Train-the-Trainer Program
Maximize the reach of our prevention message into the communities of Massachusetts and engage and grow our membership by encouraging women to take on leadership roles through our Community Leadership Team (CLT) and to take action towards breast cancer prevention on behalf of MBCC. The train-the-trainer program trains women and men from our networks around the state to give presentations on breast cancer prevention in their communities, and creates an on-going leadership team of supporters who will help make change by prioritizing prevention.