WEST LAFAYETTE —
Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) Research Foundation, Susan G. Komen ®, and the Milburn Foundation have again shown their partnership to be an impactful and powerful force against inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) — an aggressive subtype of breast cancer that is challenging to diagnose and treat. Together, in just 31 days, the organizations raised more than $635,000 for research aimed at finding innovative new approaches to diagnosing and treating IBC as well as other breast cancer efforts.

During the month of March, IBC Research Foundation and Milburn matched all donations to Komen up to a predetermined amount with a goal to raise $250,000 in funds specifically for research into IBC. This form of breast cancer is particularly dangerous because it can be missed on mammogram, doesn’t usually present with a lump, is often misdiagnosed, and spreads quickly. About 30 percent of those diagnosed with IBC will learn that their cancer has already spread, or metastasized, to other parts of the body.

“Patient advocacy is about taking an active role in defining the critical conversations that will drive accelerated results,” said Ginny Mason, Executive Director of the IBC Research Foundation. “In our 19 years of work in IBC patient advocacy, this partnership with Susan G Komen and Milburn is special given the way the team works together so creatively to push key conversations forward. This year’s campaign success will result in benefits for the IBC community and more, as critical research innovation is realized.”

“While we’ve made significant progress against breast cancer, more than 41,000 lives are lost each year in the U.S. to metastatic breast cancer, and that’s unacceptable,” said Paula Schneider, President and CEO at Susan G. Komen. “We’ll reduce that number and save lives when we figure out how to stop aggressive breast cancers like IBC. Through this successful partnership with Milburn and IBC Research Foundation, we are making an even greater impact together than we ever could alone.”

The organizations are also setting milestones for the next three years of continued partnership as they work to identify the most critical questions in IBC and IBC research, and continue to seek out and fund innovative IBC research.

“This partnership illustrates our continued leadership in funding critical IBC research,” said Bryon Davis, President of the Milburn Foundation. “The impressive results of this campaign will help us reach key milestones in support of this initiative. Together, we are curating exceptional teams, defining a path forward and ensuring adequate financial support that will have bold and positive implications in the fight against IBC and support Susan G. Komen’s Bold Goal.”

The partnership between the three organizations has now raised more than $1.59 million to date, thanks to two earlier matching gift campaigns in 2016 and 2017. Funds raised have made it possible to invest in breakthrough research, including studies in IBC, aggressive and metastatic breast cancers.