About the Core
The UCSF Breast Science Advocacy Core is a group of trained, dedicated and engaged advocates accelerating the progress of translational research against the disease by leveraging our experience as survivors and caregivers through collaboration with researchers. By influencing research direction and design, policy, and ethics, while providing the patient perspective and serving as a reminder of the urgency of our mutual goal, we assure that research is patient-centered and relevant and that it relies on the highest quality science. We serve as a link among researchers, patients, clinicians, and other advocates so that breast cancer incidence, mortality and morbidity are reduced in all communities.
What's New in Breast Cancer Research
- Read the latest in BOP news
- Watch the latest Bay Area Breast Cancer Forum recordings
- Read Advocate involvement in Clinical Trials: Lessons from the Patient-centric I-SPY2 Breast Cancer Trial, published in Medical Research Archives, by the European Society of Medicine. (UCSF advocates published this article to provide a practical roadmap for scientists and advocates to develop clinical trials that place the patient at the center of trial design, procedures, and communication.)
- Call for Volunteer Advocates: UCSF Breast Cancer Research Advocate Opportunity
Background
This Breast Cancer Science Advocacy Core (BSAC) was one of the first organized patient advocacy initiatives formally connected to an NCI-funded research program in the US. The Core is currently composed of a nucleus of 10 team members, who interact with the community on behalf of the Breast Oncology Program. These individuals support research projects and cores by infusing relevant patient experiences into the program, by addressing recurrent barriers to translational research, and by networking with various cancer and community organizations throughout the Bay Area and nationally. The Advocacy Core is a service-focused core providing a mutually rewarding experience for both advocates and investigators. These services are primarily focused around research support, education/outreach, tissue acquisition issues, clinical trials, and policy issues:
- Advocates provide research support to investigators to further the translational goals of the program by incorporating advocate involvement and collaboration.
- Advocates provide education and outreach services in the form of forums that promote communication, education, and awareness between researchers, patient advocates, and the public to promote awareness and relevance of research projects to people affected by cancer.
- Advocates provide clinical trial services, including participation in protocol and informed consent development for UCSF investigator-initiated clinical studies and research projects.
- Advocates are actively facilitating increased specimen collection for the use of tissues in research. They also provide input on and review of the use of the tissue collected from breast cancer patients.
- Advocates promote awareness of policy issues by planning and promoting events on emerging and ethical issues involved in translational research.
Advocates are integral to the program’s strategic planning as they have direct interactions with the various research projects and they engage with other advocacy groups.
Projects
Advocates support the Breast Oncology Program’s projects and cores by infusing relevant patient experiences and by being service oriented and developing projects that can enhance the program.
Contact [email protected] for more details about becoming involved.
Trainings
Educational forums are provided for Advocates and by Advocates to promote communication, education, and awareness between researchers and patient advocates.
Reviews & Commentary
Advocates provide review and commentary regarding breast cancer research to further the translational goals of the program.
Contact Information
If you are a breast cancer survivor interested in becoming a patient advocate, or a scientist looking to connect with a research advocate please email [email protected]