Susan G. Komen announced, in recognition of October as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the launch of their first crowdfunding initiative to fund metastatic breast cancer research. Donations to the initiative will be matched dollar-for-dollar by Odonate Therapeutics, a company developing therapeutics to extend and improve cancer patients’ lives.
The initiative enables donors to directly contribute to four scientists and their teams working to improve the outcomes of people suffering from metastatic breast cancer, a currently incurable form of cancer which spreads to other organs in the body. The research is focused on understanding the biology of this form of cancer, helping meet Komen’s Bold Goal of reducing breast cancer deaths in the U.S. by 50% by 2026.
“Our donor community is passionate, invigorated and vitally interested in making a unique and lasting impact on breast cancer research,” says Ellen Willmott, Komen’s CEO and interim President. “Likewise, our Komen-funded researchers are among the brightest and best in the world – we’re delighted to bring our community together with researchers through crowdfunding.”
Odonate is also supporting Komen’s Clinical Trials Information Helpline, which works to aid breast cancer patients’ understanding of clinical trials and breast cancer as a whole.
