Sharon+David

**Awareness of Breast Cancer ** Very few people know how serious and wide spread is the disease of breast cancer in the world today. Breast Cancer is a type of cancer that mostly starts in the cells of the breast of women and in some cases those of men. It is the second most common type of cancer after lung cancer and the fifth most common cancer which can cause fatality. “ In 2005, breast cancer caused 502,000 deaths worldwide (7% of cancer deaths; almost 1% of all deaths). [|[2]] ” [1] There are several testimonies like the one quoted below from Jeanne Borden where someone actually has the breast cancer and is hoping to reach out and touch others, which motivate people from all over the world to help.  It has been a very hard year of aggressive chemotherapy and radiation treatment, which I will complete this March 10. During these last few years, I had been doing a lot of writing about my life since my divorce, and more recently I have written about my illness. My writing is an attempt to convey how these circumstances have affected my life, but ultimately my writing hopes to reach and touch others, with or without a similar experience, with some significant parallel in their lives or at least to bring to us all some better understanding of these particular processes.” [2]  ||
 * || “I am a divorced mother of two teenage daughters. After 20 years of marriage, one year of legal separation, and almost two years divorced, while still trying to reorient my life, I was diagnosed on March 1, 1994.
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Whether people are newly diagnosed with breast cancer or undergoing treatment; caring for someone diagnosed with cancer; they will probably need to face many practical issues, make tough decisions, and deal with a range of emotions. There are several foundations in Canada that support breast cancer and have fundraisers to generate money for research. Majority of the organizations are run by volunteers who are motivated to enthusiastically support the research for the cure and eradication of breast cancer, by participating in various events to bring about social awareness of the effect of this devastating disease on society. With the support of thousands of volunteers that come from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation is able to carry out its mission of helping people who are affected directly or indirectly by this painful disease. The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation was established in 1986 by a dedicated group of volunteers. It addresses the needs of Canadians from coast to coast. It has been in operation for almost 23 years with a huge success. In <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">1992, Canada's first event, raised $85,000 in Toronto and in the year 2008, 55 communities, 170,000 participants joined together to make a difference to raise $28.5 million for breast cancer research, awareness and educational programs. I <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">n 2007, the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation assigned more than $25 million to the cause. “Over the last 21 years, the Foundation has allocated over $120 million in grants for breast cancer research, health promotion and awareness programs.” [3] <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">The revenue raised by the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation is utilized to fund for support, to advocate for treatment, research and for community health projects across the full spectrum of breast health, which includes prevention, screening, diagnosis, meaningful education and to bring a positive quality of life for those who are diagnosed with breast cancer. The majority of the money is raised for a future without breast cancer comes from special events sponsored by the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Some of the aims of this organization have been to improve diagnostic procedures and better support for the women at the time of diagnosis, develop more specific treatments that respond to individual needs, reduce the burden of breast cancer by exploring how the disease affects people’s lives and how their needs can be addressed effectively. <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">The organization is well structured and its aims and vision are clearly spelled out. It has a committed leader who is fully accountable and trustworthy. It has a ‘resourceful catalyst’ that is very innovative in the area of research and the various programs promoted by the organization. It has an advocacy branch whose job is to stress the need for positive quality of life for people affected by the disease. It also has a public relation department that keeps in touch with donors, sponsors and various community organizations in the district. **<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Stakeholders ** <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Each year, thousands of Canadians are affected by breast cancer. It not only impacts the individuals living with the disease, but their families, friends and loved ones as well. At the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, they are working to create a future without breast cancer which is their main objective. With the support of thousands of volunteers, the generosity of donors and over 70 corporate partners, they are funding some of the most relevant breast cancer research programs in the country. The pink ribbon is worn to recognize the struggle that victims face when battling breast cancer. It is a symbol to bring awareness in people with an intention to open their minds towards this devastating disease and to motivate them to contribute towards the cause for fighting for the cure of breast cancer. <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The stakeholder can be any one who is either affected by cancer or who volunteers, participates or supports the organization in the fulfillment of its mission. The women who are diagnosed with cancer are emotionally and mentally affected. The spouse is also affected in certain cases because it strains their sexual relationship. The family members are also affected for it is always stressful to live with an incurable or terminal disease. It certainly affects a mother who has been breast feeding or would like to breast feed. All these people play as stakeholders because everyone is affected with breast cancer one way or the other. The sponsors and the people who volunteer to run for the cause are the stakeholders who raise funds for research, education and support of the patients and their families. The people that are running for the cause are usually not the ones who are diagnosed with cancer but who know someone who has cancer. The main position of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundations it to a find a cure for the disease, use various tactics to create awareness, and organize periodical for fundraisers. They support the people who can’t fight for themselves by ‘fighting’ for them. <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation supports over 60 companies across Canada who proudly contributes to the Foundation’s efforts to generate awareness about breast cancer and to raise funds for breast cancer research, education and awareness programs. Some sponsors are CIBC, NYGARD, New Balance, McCain, M&M’s, Running Room, Canpar, Revlon, and Ganong. The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation is trying to bring awareness to everyone across the country that a future without breast cancer is possible if people are willing to give some of their personal time in the fulfillment of their mandate. **<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Suggestions **<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In this day and age, everybody if affected by cancer in some way or the other. Cancer is one of the biggest killers in the modern civilization of the 21st Century of which breast cancer is the second largest disease after lung cancer. There is a definite need to take all measures to bring about more awareness and remedial methods to prevent the spread of breast cancer, in addition to advocating for the research for its cure.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> The mandate and the functioning of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation **

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breast_cancer [2] http://www.canceranswers.org/stories/borden.htm [3] http://www.cbcf.org/en-US/home.aspx <span style="color: rgb(255,0,218); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;">