ACTION ALERT!
Help Save the California Breast Cancer Research
Program
The
California Breast Cancer Research Program (CBCRP) provides funding for innovative breast cancer research in California. The impact of its
research--which includes topics such as environmental exposures, disparities, psychosocial impacts, tumor biology, and more--fuels changes in how
breast cancer is dealt with nationally and internationally. Now, the future of this program is in jeopardy.
In order to save money, the University of California Office of the President (UCOP), the administrative home for
the CBCRP, has decided to gut the CBCRP. They are planning to transfer the funding of breast cancer research to a small, generic "Grants Central" unit
and essentially eliminate the planning, evaluation, and information dissemination functions.
Since its inception CBCRP has spent an average of 4.18% on administration and 7.89% on
planning, evaluation, and dissemination. The rest, over $200M, has gone to innovative breast cancer research. The shift that is planned would
eliminate the ability to fund the best breast cancer research, which is only possible by evaluating what has been done and planning
for future projects. Dissemination and translation of research--getting the research results out to the community and providers--is essential to any
ethical research funding program.
BCA helped form the CBCRP in 1992 and has been instrumental in moving the program forward as a
member of its advisory council for the last fifteen years. The program is run by an unprecedented collaboration of survivors, advocates, activists,
scientists, clinicians, and researchers. UCOP bureaucrats think they are better suited to determine what breast cancer research is funded then the
women and men who work on this disease every day.
Take action to save this program! Tell UCOP to leave CBCRP alone. Send the
letter below to the President of the University of California and ask him to stop this travesty.
Email your letter to the President of the University of California, Mark Yudof:
president@ucop.edu
Be sure to copy the people below who administer the University of California, and please
copy pojea@bcaction.org so we'll know how many people took
action:
rblum@blumcapital.com
dgresser@blumcapital.com
Diane.Griffiths@ucop.edu
Rory.Hume@ucop.edu
Steven.Beckwith@ucop.edu
apadilla@orrick.com
Sample Letter:
Feel free to personalize the letter, including information about your experience with CBCRP if
appropriate.
Mark Yudof, President
University of California
1111
Franklin Street, 12th floor
Oakland, CA 94607
Dear Mr. Yudof,
I am writing to ask you to keep the California Breast Cancer
Research Program (CBCRP) as is. A generic "grants central" unit cannot provide the level of insightful funding CBCRP has done for years.
CBCRP was founded and is run by survivors, advocates,
activists, scientists, clinicians, and researchers who focus on this disease every day. We do not want or need more breast cancer
research funding at the expense of smart breast cancer research funding.
Please leave CBCRP alone and allow the CBCRP
Advisory Council (as the law states) and dedicated staff to continue its work of evaluating, planning, funding, and reporting on innovative and
creative breast cancer research.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Thank you for taking action to end the breast cancer epidemic.
Until next time,
Pauli Ojea
Community Organizer
Our members are the driving force behind our efforts to end the breast cancer epidemic. Because
Breast Cancer Action does not accept funding from the government or the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries, we need your support. You can
donate
online,or call 415-243-9301, or toll-free at 1-877-278-6722. All gifts are deeply appreciated.
Breast Cancer Action is funded in part by a grant from the California Wellness Foundation
(TCWF). Created in 1992 as an independent, private foundation, TCWF's mission is to improve the health of the people of California by making
grants for health promotion, wellness education and disease prevention programs.
