The MBC ribbon
Nearly everyone knows what the pink ribbon represents. Did you know there is also a ribbon for MBC? It has three colors in parallel stripes:
- Pink represents the origin of MBC - the breast;
- Green represents life and hope;
- Teal represents healing and spirituality.
The funding landscape is grim
Even though MBC is the only terminal stage of breast cancer, MBC research gets very little funding. Only about 3-8% of breast cancer research dollars go to MBC.
METAvivor funds MBC research!
METAvivor is the only organization or entity that uses 100% of its donations to fund MBC research. METAvivor provides over $2 million per year to MBC researchers. This is amazing, but it's a drop in the bucket. Last year, NIH spent $542 million on breast cancer research. Just imagine if more of that money were dedicated to MBC research.
The Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC) Access to Care Act
When people with MBC leave their job due to their health, there's a waiting period to receive government benefits - 5 months before people can receive social security payments, and 24 months to receive medicare. This leaves many people unable to maintain their standard of living, at a time when they most need support. Read more here.
The Cancer Drug Parity Act
More cancer therapies are being designed in pill form rather that as an infusion. Oral therapies, like Kathleen has used, provide many benefits over an infusion. No trips to the infusion center. Instead of receiving a high dose in IV form, treatments can be given in lower, daily doses. However, oral drugs are paid for as a prescription, leaving patients with outrageous copays. New oral treatments can cost $15,000 or more per month. This Act would require insurance companies to cover IV and oral treatments equally. Read more here.
How you can help
- Donate to METAvivor. Kathleen reviews grants for them and assures you that the money is put to very good use.
- Contact your senators and representatives. Although both Acts mentioned above have strong bipartisan support, the bills never make it to a vote. Each congressional year, the bills are introduced, but are left hanging because other bills fill the docket. Urge your reps to help push these Acts to a vote. Approval of these Acts will transform many lives.
- While you're at it, encourage your reps to dedicate more federal research funding to MBC.