Imagine it – a generation without breast cancer. It is the stuff dreams are made of, however, we believe it will be reality in the future. That generation will be able to say thank you to the thousands of people who walk, run, bake, hold tag sales and raise money in other creative ways all year long, every year, in support of Rays of Hope - Walk & Run Toward the Cure of Breast Cancer.
October was first designated as Breast Cancer Awareness month in 1985, originally to promote mammography and early detection as the main weapon against breast cancer. The pink ribbon has become iconic as a symbol of the fight. Breast cancer has not yet been eradicated, however, we have come a long way in understanding the disease and have new weapons to battle it.
Your investment in research has saved lives and improved outcomes. More than 3.5 million women and men are living beyond breast cancer in the United States today. While there is still more to learn, key discoveries have been made in the last 25 years that are moving us closer to a world without breast cancer.
Rays of Hope has been proud to support breast cancer research on a local level. Studies at the Rays of Hope Center for Breast Cancer Research have borne fruit leading to additional investment by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the National Cancer Institute and the Department of Defense. Scientific discoveries made here at home have even been published nationally
“Rays of Hope, in its effort to support research through funding, has given rise to a brilliant collaboration between Baystate Medical Center, University of Massachusetts, and Pioneer Valley Life Sciences Institute, working toward understanding and reducing susceptibility and risk of this disease, giving hope and promise in the future that we will see less breast cancer,” shared survivor Anna Symington.
The Breast Research Patient Registry, with more than 1,000 participants, has become a resource for collaborative projects both within and outside the Baystate Regional Cancer Program. Moving forward, there will be a second tissue registry created specifically for the study of metastatic breast cancer.
Until we have a generation without breast cancer, Rays of Hope remains focused on research while also supporting the women and men who have unwillingly embarked on this journey.
“
Whatever Rays of Hope does, the organization ensures people are educated toward getting the right care and making good choices,” said survivor Filomena Ronghi.
“Rays of Hope provides an environment of less fear, less anxiety, less loss, more faith, more families, and more ‘Yes, we can!’,” added survivor Donna Rounds.
At Rays of Hope, we are dedicated to helping all those who are currently affected and hope to improve their lives through earlier diagnosis, better treatment and complimentary therapies.
Join the fight and register for Rays of Hope today.