THE NEW YORK STATE BREAST CANCER NETWORK:_A WINNER OF THE 2006 NATIONAL BREAST CANCER COALITION FUNDS BEST PRACTICES IN ADVOCACY AWARDS

New York, November 10, 2006The National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund (NBCCF) has chosen the New York State Breast Cancer Network as a recipient of the 2006 Best Practices in Breast Cancer Advocacy Awards. The Network is being recognized for its strategic, high-impact work in breast cancer public policy, and can serve as a model for other organizations. A total of $25,000 was awarded to the Network.

NBCCF is proud to recognize the New York State Breast Cancer Network for its innovative, effective work, said Fran Visco, President of the National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund. NBCCF firmly believes that in order to eradicate breast cancer, incremental change is not enough: we must fundamentally change the systems of research and health care. The New York State Breast Cancer Network has successfully brought meaningful change to the world of breast cancer and exemplifies advocacy in action. The Network has moved beyond raising awareness to important and impactful action.

The New York State Breast Cancer Network is the only statewide coalition of community-based, survivor-driven breast cancer organizations in New York. Network member organizations are both programmatically and geographically diverse offering a wide range of support, education, and advocacy services to urban, rural, and suburban communities throughout the state. The Networks Annual Advocacy Day, recognized by the National Breast Cancer Coalition Funds Best Practices in Advocacy Awards, educates and focuses state legislators on issues important to breast cancer survivors. Each year the Networks legislative agenda focuses on four areas of concern: prevention/environment, access to care, state funding for community-based breast cancer services, and research.

All of us at the New York State Breast Cancer Network are thrilled and honored to have our work over the last eight years recognized by this award. It is a rare opportunity to have legislative advocacy acknowledged as essential to ending the breast cancer epidemic. We are especially appreciative that the NBCCF recognizes the importance of public policy in this struggle and included legislative advocacy efforts in the criteria for this award, said Andi Gladstone, executive director of the Network.

The New York State Breast Cancer Network is one of seven recipients of the 2006 Best Practices in Breast Cancer Advocacy Awards. In addition to the Network, they include: The Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation (ABCF), the Breast Cancer Alliance of Greater Cincinnati (BCA), the Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Foundation (ibcRF), Linda Creed Breast Cancer Foundation (LCBCF), the Georgia Breast Cancer Coalition Fund (GBCCF), New York State Breast Cancer Support and Education Network, Spencer, and The Rhode Island Breast Cancer Coalition (RIBCC).

The Best Practices in Advocacy awards are made possible by a generous grant from the Breast Cancer Fund of the National Philanthropic Trust.

The National Breast Cancer Coalition is a grassroots membership organization dedicated to ending breast cancer through the power of action and advocacy. Along with its research and education arm the National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund, the Coalitions main goals are to increase federal funding for breast cancer research; improve access to high-quality health care and breast cancer clinical trials for all women; and expand the influence of breast cancer advocates wherever breast cancer decisions are made. For more information, visit www.stopbreastcancer.org.