Susan G. Komen, the world’s leading breast cancer organization, and GE Healthcare, a leading global medical technology, pharmaceutical diagnostics and digital solutions innovator, are partnering for the first time to support the Susan G Komen’s Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC) Impact Series.

Every person deserves personalized breast cancer care options. In continuing its support of Susan G. Komen and efforts to improve outcomes for the breast cancer community, GE Healthcare has made a commitment to help Komen provide critical educational programs for the MBC community. 

GE Healthcare’s investment will support the Susan G. Komen’s MBC Impact Series to ensure that people living with MBC and their loved ones have a safe and collaborative space to gather information to help make decisions for improved physical and emotional health. 

“As a leader in imaging and healthcare innovation, GE Healthcare has shown its commitment to the MBC community through its investment in groundbreaking imaging agents that highlight estrogen receptor-positive tumors in patients whose breast cancer has recurred or spread,” said Victoria Wolodzko Smart, Senior Vice President of Mission at Komen. “GE Healthcare’s goals are aligned with our goal to conquer aggressive and deadly breast cancers and this partnership will help us bring critically needed access to the latest information on imaging, treatments and innovations to empower MBC patients.”  

“GE Healthcare is delighted to continue working closely with Susan G. Komen in the advancement of breast cancer care solutions. Partnering to help improve the resources available to patients with MBC is absolutely critical to women struggling with this disease,” said Catherine Estrampes, President and CEO, US and Canada at GE Healthcare. “Our continued focus on personalized medicine and creating a healthier future for women, underscores the value GE Healthcare places on enabling patients to understand their diagnosis and treatment options.”

The Komen MBC Impact Series is a free series that offers those living with MBC access to practical information and resources to help make decisions for improved physical and emotional health. Participants have the opportunity to learn from leading experts in breast cancer research, hear from individuals living with MBC and gather information from wellness experts. 

Living with MBC and How the MBC Impact Series Helps

For Sheila Johnson, who has been living with MBC since 2009, Komen has been a trusted resource and guide that she turns to for the latest information.  

“Being diagnosed with MBC is difficult and there is a lot to learn about the disease and possible treatment options. Being able to learn directly from leading experts is critical for us to stay alive,” said Johnson. “Knowledge is power and providing the MBC community with the latest information is crucial to having a productive relationship with my oncologist. I love having access to the MBC experts through the MBC Impact Series because it reaffirms my faith in the medical community as a whole.”  

About Metastatic Breast Cancer

While improvements in early detection and treatments led to a 42 percent reduction in the breast cancer mortality rate in the U.S. from 1989-2019, nearly 44,000 people in the U.S. will lose their lives to breast cancer this year, and almost all of these deaths are attributed to MBC.

“This stark reality is driving research discoveries at a rapid pace, so it is crucial for MBC patients to have access to evidence-based, easily accessible information from trusted experts to help them understand their disease and make timely decisions about their treatment,” said Wolodzko Smart.  

For evidence-based information on MBC or to learn about the MBC Impact Series, visit https://mbc.komen.org

Through this new collaboration, Komen and GE Healthcare also plan to develop educational resources on diagnostic approaches, including the role of tumor markers and molecular imaging in guiding personalized care for the MBC community. 

[Source(s): Susan G. Komen, Newswise]