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The Prevent Cancer Foundation is a national, nonprofit health foundation whose mission is the prevention and early detection of cancer through scientific research, education and community outreach.
Why do we exist?
CRPF was among the first and only organizations dedicated to cancer prevention and early detection. It began when little money was being targeted to prevention research or education. Today prevention is recognized as the most sane approach to cancer control and is universally accepted because of the Foundation’s dedication and leadership to its mission.
What have you accomplished?
The Foundation has provided more than $66 million is support of research and education programs since it began. Through its research grants and fellowship program, many promising scientists have gotten a leg up on their careers – the research they performed with CRPF funds helped them continue distinguished careers and to receive millions in subsequent funding. Critical discoveries have been instigated because of CRPF seed money including the discovery of tamoxifen, the first breast cancer chemopreventive; the use of aspirin in cancer preventon; clarification of how diet can reduce cancer risk; and the isolation of genes related to cancer. It founded National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month—a nationwide campaign to increase colorectal cancer screening in the United States. Its outreach programs have targeted medically underserved women. Through its Mammovan, thousands of D.C. area women have been screened for breast cancer –and nearly 65 cancers have been diagnosed, all in early stages of the disease. For many women, including Jacqueline Flowers, the Mammovan was their only option for a screening mammogram. Flowers did not have insurance and could not afford the screening test. But when she heard about the mobile van, she made an appointment. She routinely received her mammogram through this program, and at age 50 was diagnosed with breast cancer. The cancer was found early and she is healthy today as a result.
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