VBCF is offering Mini-Grants up to $1,000 to non-profit organizations to provide breast cancer health education for Virginians in their local communities. Priority will be given to projects in areas of the state with breast cancer incidence or mortality rates higher than the state average and/or to projects serving low-income, un- or underinsured, medically underserved, or other marginalized populations in need of targeted, customized breast cancer educational approaches. Applications are being accepted through April 10 - please help spread the word. 

Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book by Siddhartha Mukherjee, tells the complete story of cancer, from its first description in an ancient Egyptian scroll to the gleaming laboratories of modern research institutions. The film series interweaves a sweeping historical narrative; with intimate stories about contemporary patients; and an investigation into the latest scientific breakthroughs that may have brought us, at long last, to the brink of lasting cures. Watch the series here.

Join advocates from around the nation on Tuesday, May 5th in Washington, DC! Each year, VBCF provides training, transportation, and refreshments to Virginians to participate in National Lobby Day, hosted by the National Breast Cancer Coalition. Participants meet with our state's national legislators to discuss improved breast cancer public policies. VBCF asks you to show up and be counted!

If you'd like to take your advocacy skills to the next level, check out VBCF's Karin Decker Noss Scholarship. This $5,000 scholarship program is available to the awardee for a 24-month period to attend nationally recognized breast cancer training and conferences and to bring this knowledge back to Virginia through VBCF's breast cancer advocacy program. We are now accepting applications.  The deadline to apply is April 10.

2015 ASCO Annual Meeting Conquer Cancer Foundation Patient Advocate Scholarship provides funding for patient advocates to attend ASCO-sponsored Symposia and the ASCO Annual Meeting to learn of important advances in their areas of interest. Scholarships help cover travel, hotel, and registration expenses and are based primarily on financial need, advocacy experience, and current advocacy activities and involvement. Scholarship application period opens on Monday, April 6 at 12:00 PM (Noon) Eastern Time and closes on Thursday, April 9 at 12:00 PM (Noon) EST.

One in eight women born in the U.S. today will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime. Each year, more than 40,000 Americans will die from the disease.

But thanks to technology and innovation, treatment for breast cancer has improved over the past decade and more lives have been saved than ever before.

An experimental approach to treat breast cancer developed at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville combines surgery and radiation therapy in one appointment, instead of multiple appointments, over the course of six weeks.

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