A Message from the Director
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Welcome to the California Breast Cancer Research Program's 2003 Annual Report, a part of our wide-ranging efforts to make our research available to the public. On these pages, we give brief summaries of the studies we funded this year, along with summaries of studies we funded in previous years that were completed or made progress during 2002. We are one of the few research programs in the world to publish annual summaries of studies while they are still in progress.
During 2002, we awarded $14,809,103 for 67 single- and multiple-year research projects at 22 California institutions. Since 1995, we've provided a total of $130,770,795, for more than 500 grants to over 60 leading research institutions throughout California to investigate ideas that otherwise might not be explored.
The need is urgent. Every two hours, on average, a California woman dies of breast cancer. More than 200,000 California women are living with the disease. Every woman is at risk, and every woman who has had breast cancer in the past lives with the knowledge that it can return at any time.
However, adequate support for breast cancer research in California is uncertain. Our main source of revenue, a state tax on tobacco products, is steadily declining, because fewer people are using tobacco. This means that every year the amount of research the CBCRP can fund will go down unless we replace that lost revenue.
That's why we launched our Community Partners Program, to open new ways for Californians to support our revolutionary breast cancer research. “The CBCRP Launches Community Partners,” tells more about how Californians are coming together from the business world, the sports world, and communities to help end breast cancer.
While our top priority is replacing the funds we are losing due to the decline in tobacco tax revenues, we also know there's a lot more research that needs to be done. “Toward More and Faster Progress Against Breast Cancer,” describes what we could do if we could substantially increase the research dollars for breast cancer.
The purpose of all our investment in breast cancer research is to speed the day when we can prevent the majority of breast cancer and cure what we can't prevent. All of our work is dedicated to ending the suffering and fulfilling the hopes of the women who face this deadly disease.
Marion H.E. Kavanaugh-Lynch, M.D., M.P.H.
Director, California Breast Cancer Research Program
Thanks, California taxpayers!Every year, thousands of Californians participate in Check It Out! Check It Off!, the public education campaign that encourages voluntary donations on Franchise Tax Board Form 540, Line 56. Donations fund grants to California scientists and community researchers who are searching for more effective ways to prevent, treat, and cure breast cancer. Last year, for the second year in a row, the CBCRP was #1 in the state for tax check-off donations. By year's with a total of $736,040. |
