The decision to choose Breakthrough as our main charity to support was an easy one. As a team, we’ve all had family experience of coping with breast cancer, so the decision for us to support the UK’s largest breast cancer charity was a no brainer. Breakthrough’s mission statement is powerful and simple – they aim to lead the way in saving lives and changing futures, through research, campaigning and education and removing the fear of breast cancer for good.
Research
Breast cancer takes many forms. Researching diagnosis, treatment and ways to prevent all types of the disease is Breakthrough’s main goal. Some of this research is very specific, focusing on the unique characteristics of a particular form of breast cancer. However, much of their work will benefit all people with the disease. Since 1991, Breakthrough has pioneered treatments and scientific advances through the UK’s first dedicated breast cancer research facility. As well as the dedicated Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre in London, Breakthrough have established a network of research units across the UK. It is in all these locations that their vital work takes place. Breakthrough’s team of world class scientists and clinicians continue to work together to ensure research makes as big and impact as possible – as fast as possible.
Current Campaigns
- Breakthrough’s Service Pledge for Breast Cancer
Enabling breast cancer patients and healthcare professionals to work together towards better local breast cancer services. - Breakthrough’s Family History campaign
Ensuring that women with a family history of breast cancer have access to the best possible services available. - Screening Saves Lives
Improving the early detection of breast cancer by pressing for continued improvements to the NHS Breast Screening Programme. - Every Chance
Ensuring every patient has every chance to beat breast cancer. - Constant Reminder? Living with Lymphoedema
Improving services for people who develop lymphoedema after breast cancer treatment. - Left in the Dark
Ensuring women with breast problems referred by their GP do not wait longer than two weeks to see a specialist.
Achievements & Success
Breakthrough Breast Cancer was launched in 1991 with the target of raising £15M to build the UK’s first dedicated research centre. The first foundations were laid in 1996, and the centre was opened by HRH The Prince of Wales in 1999. This was followed by the opening of the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Unit in Edinburgh in 2008 and the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Unit at King’s College London in 2009. These, and other regional centres, have led to dozens of scientific breakthroughs which are unlocking pathways into the disease, it’s treatment and improving prognoses for women affected. A 5 year expert review which concluded in 2009 rated Breakthrough’s Reasearch Centre as “outstanding”.
Highlights of the work so far have included:
- Helping patients get new treatments
Eight clinical trials have started due to discoveries at the Research Centre, testing new treatments developed by scientists and building on knowledge about the best way to treat different types of breast cancer. - Identifying who is at risk of breast cancer
Breakthrough have found that some faulty genes interact with other healthy genes and increase the risk of breast cancer. This knowledge will allow clinicians to identify women at risk and make sure they are aware and monitored. - Developing targeted treatments
Breakthrough have launched a whole new direction in cancer drug development. Olaparib, the first drug to target cancer using an intelligent new approach, is now being used to treat patients in clinical trials. It has shrunk patients’ tumours without causing the usual side effects of chemotherapy. - Helping keep breast cancer under control
Breakthrough have identified two different ways that breast cancer treatments can fail. One where hereditary breast cancer resists treatment and can grow back and another which explains why some cancers become resistant to tamoxifen. It is hoped to exploit this understanding to ensure that breast cancer doesn’t become resistant to treatment, helping patients live longer. - Starting to understand the causes
The Breakthrough Generations Study includes 100,000 women and is investigating the effects of genetic, environmental, behavioural and hormonal factors on breast cancer. This will deliver reliable information on why some women develop the disease and means that breast cancer could be preventable in the future.
Closer To A Cure
Breakthrough believe that people who have had breast cancer will live longer and healthier lives in the future. However, significant challenges need to be overcome before they can reach this goal as today around 1,000 women a month die of breast cancer in the UK. Breakthrough hope to achieve so much in the next 10 years, but this can only be achieved through funding from ordinary people like us:
Breakthrough plan to commit £30 million to fund their Research Centre over the next five years. But they need a further £3.5 million per year to realise the potential of the discoveries already made. Here’s a snapshot of what they hope to achieve if they raise the funds required:
- Breast cancer will no longer be life-threatening for many patients. It is hoped it will increasingly be a long-term manageable disease thanks to more targeted treatments.
- People with breast cancer will live longer and healthier lives thanks to new and better targeted treatments.
- They will find ways to prevent the return of breast cancer. New tests will enable clinicians to tell if a patient’s cancer is likely to return – and treatments will be available to prevent this.
- Scientists will know who is at high risk of developing breast cancer, give them health advice or preventative treatments to prevent it, and change the future for thousands of women.
