The Facts
Why?
New Zealand has the 7th highest incidence of breast cancer in the world. Mortality from breast cancer is 20% higher in New Zealand than in Australia.
Breast Cancer is taking two of our nation’s women from us every day, whilst one woman is diagnosed with the disease every three hours. Our support has helped to slow the death rate by 1% per year with 89% of women diagnosed with early breast cancer now surviving more than five years. For the remaining 11% there is currently no cure and now more than ever our focus remains on this group and the 20-30% who subsequently go on to develop advanced breast cancer.
#1
Cancer for Women
3,500
Diagnosed each year
25
Men diagnosed each year too
Where does the
money go?
Since its establishment, Breast Cancer Cure has funded many significant research projects in New Zealand, totalling close to $11 million in grants due to the lack of government funding directly into breast cancer. Some of the New Zealand institutions to benefit from Breast Cancer Cure's work include the University of Canterbury, the University of Otago, The Liggins Institute in Auckland, the Malaghan Institute in Wellington, University of Auckland, Massey University, Victoria University of Wellington and the Canterbury District Health Board.
Our research partnerships
As part of the Breast Cancer Research partnership with the Health Research Council of NZ and the Breast Cancer Foundation NZ, we have jointly funded $4.01M in the last six years with a total of 21 projects across many researchers and institutions directly through this collaboration.
These projects have the potential to improve treatment of the disease, quality of life and survivorship while raising local research capability, knowledge and potential economic returns.
Some of the institutions to benefit from Breast Cancer Cure’s work include: the University of Canterbury, the University of Otago, the Liggins Institute in Auckland, the Malaghan Institute in Wellington, University of Auckland, Massey University, Victoria University of Wellington and the Canterbury District Health Board.
“As a population, we are not all the same – curing breast cancer will see research increasingly focus on individual variations to progressively improve outcomes across the cancer pathway.
This will ensure all New Zealanders benefit through earlier diagnosis, more precise treatment and improved monitoring and care. Progress is being made - more needs to be done - your continuing support is needed.”
FAY SOWERBY | BOARD CHAIR
Summary
We support research into finding a "cure" for breast cancer by making the disease one that women can endure and survive by funding novel research into: prevention, earlier detection, predictive and prognostic diagnosis, appropriate and tailored treatment and broadening the knowledge base around breast cancer and treatment with a focus on the 17% with poorer outcomes and the 30% with recurring or metastatic cancer.
We’re committed to achieving our goal of finding a cure for breast cancer and with your support and involvement, we believe that is a very achievable goal.