According to the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation® ,approximately every half an hour another woman in the US is diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer.
Triple negative breast cancer accounts for approximately 15%-25% of all breast cancer cases.
Most Americans are familiar with breast cancer but most don't realize there are many sub-types of breast cancer.
Triple negative breast cancer is one of those sub-types and average Americans probably have not heard of it unless they know someone who has been affected by it.
Triple negative breast cancer refers to any breast cancer that does not express the genes for estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone (PR), or HER2/neu. They are hormone negative thus making it very different in prognosis and treatment as opposed to their hormone positive counterparts.
The prognosis and survival rate for those diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer is usually dependent on the stage of the cancer, aggressiveness, and metastasis.
Far too often the prognosis is not good. Treatments are difficult for this type of breast cancer.
Triple negative breast cancer is a very aggressive breast cancer often affecting woman before the age of 40.
It is also more likely to re-occur than other breast cancers especially in the first 3-5 years.
Triple negative breast cancer is usually treated with aggressive chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Even with swift and aggressive treatments the battle in this disease is often lost quickly.
On the forefront of awareness and funding for breakthrough treatments for this disease is the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation®
"The Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation® was founded in 2006 in honor of Nancy Block-Zenna, a young woman who was diagnosed at age 35 with triple negative breast cancer and died 2 1/2 years later in 2007. In response to Nancy's diagnosis, her close friends launched the TNBC Foundation® to raise awareness and support research in the area of triple negative breast cancer".
Their mission according to their website is simple:
To ignite interest in the study of triple negative breast cancer among researchers, physicians, educators and scientists.
To support professionals seeking to identify the cause(s) of triple negative breast cancer and to discover new and effective treatment options.
To increase public awareness and support of this sub-type of breast cancer.
As part of their ongoing mission the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation® has announced it's first nationwide call to action.
Triple Negative Breast Cancer Day is a national awareness day to be held on 3/3/13. The foundation is asking survivors, friends, supporters, caregivers, and others to plan or join fundraisers and awareness events in each state across the country.
Their hope is to have an event in each and every state hosting an event on or around 3/3/13.
These events will be hosted in order to raise awareness of this type of breast cancer as well as raise funds to continue the significant work being done at the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation®.
Events being planned are Lose Your Lattes, Yoga, Healthy Happy Hour, and more.
Currently there are no official events in the state of Illinois. Diagnosed myself with triple negative breast cancer on 3/31/2004, it is my mission to change that.
As a survivor I am thrilled that this day has finally arrived. I am excited to bring attention to triple negative breast cancer and help the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation® in their efforts to educate, support, and fund research in honor and memory of Nancy who was lost to this horrible disease.
According to the foundation's website, "It was Nancy's hope that, as her daughter Jolie grows older, triple negative breast cancer will no longer be the threat it is today. All of us at the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation® share Nancy's hope. Please join us as we work towards finding better treatment options and, eventually, a cure for this disease".
I also have a daughter who lives in fear everyday with the threat this disease poses not only to her mother but to her as well. Often triple negative breast cancer patients are found to carry the BRCA1 mutation making this disease genetic. Such is our case.
So join me as we work to make 3/3/13 a successful step in the journey to fight this disease so no other daughter has to worry. Let's make some noise about triple negative breast cancer.
For more information how you can start your own event or join another event visit the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation® website where you can find all the necessary tools to join in and make some noise about 3/3/2013 National Triple Negative Breast Cancer Day.
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