The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) announced a $1 million gift from a partnership between Dolphins Challenge Cancer, the signature philanthropic initiative of the Miami Dolphins, and AutoNation. The gift, which will be distributed over four years, will be dedicated to advancing the scientific understanding of the relationship between social determinants of health, specifically, geographic location and environmental stress, and breast cancer mortality.
In the United States, breast cancer continues to be the most common cancer, and it is the second leading cause of cancer death. Tremendous medical advancements over the last three decades have yielded earlier diagnoses and more effective treatments, resulting in an overall 43 percent decline in breast cancer deaths. However, such progress has not reached all communities equally, due, in part, to social, personal, financial, and informational barriers. While all races and ethnicities are affected by breast cancer, minorities encounter significant disparities in breast cancer screening, care, treatment, and outcomes, compared to their white peers.
This gift will fund a project led by BCRF investigator Dr. Neha Goel, to be conducted at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of UHealth – the University of Miami Health System, which is nearby the Fort Lauderdale headquarters of both Dolphins Challenge Cancer and AutoNation. The research project will enhance the understanding of the links between neighborhood stress and aggressive breast cancer biology, as studies show that women living in low-income neighborhoods have a higher breast cancer mortality rate compared to those in affluent neighborhoods. The drivers of this survival gap are multifactorial and intrinsically linked to the racial disparities in breast cancer outcomes.
