I am priviledged to be one of the inflammatory breast cancer advocates who will be on the team funded by the American Airlines grant. I have been excited while waiting for the grant to come through. I have virtually no background in science; but, training through the Project Lead Institute and the Research Advocacy Foundation's Focus on Research program have helped me learn what I need to know about genomics and the development of cancer in order to understand these wonderful researchers who devote their lives to stamping out cancer of all kinds. Inflammatory Breast Cancer acts differently under a microscope than other types of breast cancer. Every day, as Response Coordinator for the IBC Research Foundation, I communicate with young women with young children who have been diagnosed with this disease. For the last three years, I have had the opportunity to attend the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and set in on some of the presentations there. Every year I can see that we are getting closer to finding the cause and subsequently the cure for this awful disease. I want to thank Komen for funding this research program; I want to thank the Avon Foundation for funding Project Lead and Genentech for funding Focus on Research. The hard work done by the advocates has brought awareness to those with the power to fund the research necessary to do what needs to be done to get rid of ibc. I also want to thank Dr. Fredi Robertson for pulling this team together to be in place when the funding came through. I want to encourage others to take advantage of the scientific training available in order to assist the research scientists find the key to defeating this disease more quickly. Gayla Little, Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Foundation
I can't explain how overjoyed I was when I read the article about American Airlines and SGKomen raising funds to research inflammatory breast cancer! My sister has been battling this horrible disease for 4 years now. Her original oncologist gave her 12-18 months to live, but she's still here 4 years later! The continual research and study of scientists has helped my sister add years to her life. I'm imagining great things for the rest of the IBC community with the dawn of this grant. I'm also praying the day never arrives when my 3 daughters or myself receive the awful diagnosis of IBC. I will pray these scientists find new ways to battle this cancer and that their knowledge helps everyone.
Striving for a cure,
Nancy in KY
I don't care if it's a flying pink elephant, as long as it gives attention to breast cancer. I have IDC & can only appreciate your situation. Before my diagnosis less the a year ago, Komen was the only organization I knew of that I could participate in & do my part to help rid the world of this disease. I now know there are lots of other research/programs, but for many people, the Komen race is still their way of helping. How wonderful that the focus is on IBC & I pray it stays, albeit a long time coming. So let the PINK begin...the commercials, the ads, the billboards, the emails, the waiting rooms, the t-shirts, the banners, the health stores, the ribbons, the cars, the airplanes, and as long as no harm is done, why not a few flying PInk Elephants.
As someone who is currently being treated for IBC, I am grateful for any research done to cure my disease and for those who have yet to be diagnosed. None of my friends had ever heard of this type of cancer and how agressive it is. Hopefully this new clinic will change that.
Thank you so much
Frances Izadirad
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Thanks for posting this information. As a woman with IBC, I know how important it is to raise money for research. So much of our treatment is hit and miss, especially when your doctors really don't know that much about IBC and want to treat it like it was regular breast cancer. I'm approaching my first anniversary and hope to be able to say I'm NED before too much longer. Maybe one day there will be a cure for all cancers. In the meantime, more research is needed and more education (both in the general population and in the medical profession).
Claudia in Florida
Claudia, I wish you an NED anniversary and many more years of health. I've seen tremendous strides in treatment in the ten years since my diagnosis, and I'm confident that will pay off.