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Business Wire
13-05-2025
- Health
- Business Wire
Purpose in Action: Susan G. Komen's 2025 Impact Report on Progress and Urgent Needs in the Fight Against Breast Cancer
DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Susan G. Komen®, the world's leading breast cancer organization, today released its 2025 Annual Impact Report, highlighting a year of progress made possible by the dedication of its donors, volunteers and partners. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women in the U.S. and is the most common cancer among women worldwide. What's more, it's estimated that more than 168,000 people in the U.S. are living with metastatic breast cancer (MBC), also known as stage 4, the most advanced and incurable stage of breast cancer. This year alone, nearly 43,000 people in the U.S. are expected to die from breast cancer — with MBC responsible for most of these deaths. Komen's impact report highlights the critical progress made in the fight against breast cancer made possible by the passionate dedication of its donors, volunteers and partners — and the hope for a brighter future driven by its nationwide community. Komen believes that to save lives, the community must focus on conquering aggressive and metastatic breast cancers and eliminating barriers to care to achieve health equity. To achieve the organization's goals, to date, Komen has invested nearly $2.5 billion in advocacy, community programs, education and patient support services, ensuring people are educated about the complexities of risk, screening, diagnosis and treatment for breast cancer and have access to the care they need. Komen has also invested nearly $1.1 billion in research making it the largest nonprofit contributor to the cause, second only to the U.S. government. This investment has led to new ways to prevent, detect, diagnose and treat breast cancer. 'Susan G. Komen's impact is woven into nearly every major breakthrough and patient-centered policy in the history of breast cancer, but we could never have come this far without the support of our community,' said Paula Schneider, Komen president and CEO. 'Our donors, volunteers, partners and fundraisers are the heart of our history and frankly, our future. Many come to Komen because they've been personally touched by this disease — and, as a breast cancer survivor, myself included. There is power in pain and hope alike, and the progress we've made is a testament to those who've turned their experience and grief into action.' Key Highlights from Komen's 2025 impact report include: Public Policy and Advocacy In 2024, Komen's Center for Public Policy introduced 41 bills in 34 states, with 16 signed into law, and played a key role in securing $329 million in federal and state funding for safety net screening programs through Komen's Center for Public Policy. Komen helped secure $47 billion in federal research funding, with 21 states introducing legislation focused on eliminating cost sharing for diagnostic and supplemental imaging and 8 states introducing legislation on eliminating step therapy requirements for MBC patients. More than 900 meetings were held with policymakers and staff. Research Over the past 30 years, Komen research funding has contributed to 20 new breast cancer-fighting drugs. Last year, Komen's investment added 26 new products to the research pipeline and engaged 1,093 participants in Komen-led research efforts like ShareForCures ®. Patient Care Last year, 42,895 direct patient services were provided to 35,904 people in need, along with $7.5 million in financial assistance granted to 17,087 people. Since 2021 when our Patient Care Center was established, nearly 144,000 people have received services, including over $31.9 million in financial assistance provided. Education Over 2.9 million people were reached through Komen's educational programs in the last year, including through our extensive About Breast Cancer web resource and over 180 education events such as the virtual Breast Cancer Breakthroughs sessions After attending one of Komen's educational programs, 90% of survey respondents indicated they had an improved understanding of breast cancer and 61% of survey respondents indicated they will take action to improve their breast health. Health Equity The second virtual Komen Health Equity Revolution Summit galvanized 400+ attendees for impactful discussions and solutions with public health and patient advocacy leaders from American Society of Clinical Oncology, ZERO Prostate Cancer, LGBT Cancer Network and more. Komen Ambassadors including Emmy-winning journalist and breast cancer survivor Gaby Natale, the first Latina to win three consecutive Emmys and Miss Black USA Kennedy Lucas, a young advocate, were activated to amplify diverse breast cancer voices and inspire action through digital storytelling. Metastatic Breast Cancer Komen expanded its impact on the MBC community through its MBC Impact Series and Komen's new Inside MBC video, amplifying the lived emotional experience of an MBC diagnosis and reaching thousands of people with lifesaving and life-affirming information. With proposed federal budget cuts for Fiscal Year 2026 threatening to erode decades of progress in the fight against breast cancer, continued funding especially for early detection programs, safety net care services and research has never been more critical. If these cuts proceed, Susan G. Komen will continue to stand as the leading breast cancer organization in the nation — but without sustained government support, lifesaving breakthroughs may be delayed, early detection efforts will be reduced, and patients will be left behind with poor outcomes to follow. As Komen continues to lead the charge against breast cancer, the 2025 Impact Report serves as both a reflection of what's been achieved and a call to action for what still needs to be accomplished. Every advancement — whether in research, patient care, education or policy — is fueled by the commitment of those who stand with Komen. 'With continued support, we can build on these incredible milestones to ensure everyone affected by this disease has access to the high-quality care, resources and support they need to survive and thrive after breast cancer,' added Schneider. 'The fight is far from over — but together, we will finish it.' Read the full report online. About Susan G. Komen ® Susan G. Komen ® is the world's leading nonprofit breast cancer organization, working to save lives and end breast cancer forever. Komen has an unmatched, comprehensive 360-degree approach to fighting this disease across all fronts and supporting millions of people in the U.S. and in countries worldwide. We advocate for patients, drive research breakthroughs, improve access to high-quality care, offer direct patient support and empower people with trustworthy information. Founded by Nancy G. Brinker, who promised her sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would end the disease that claimed Suzy's life, Komen remains committed to supporting those affected by breast cancer today, while tirelessly searching for tomorrow's cures. Visit or call 1-877 GO KOMEN. Connect with us on social at
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump admin executive order banning transgender participation in women's sports just the start, expert says
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday that prevents men from competing in women's sports, but amid ongoing litigation, conflicting state laws and changing organizational guidelines, questions remain about how the directive will play out. The executive order titled "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" prohibits schools and colleges that receive federal funds and are subject to Title IX from allowing men onto women's sports teams and into women's locker rooms and restrooms. If educational institutions and their athletic associations fail to comply, they could face investigations and a loss of federal funds. "Therefore, it is the policy of the United States to rescind all funds from educational programs that deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities, which results in the endangerment, humiliation, and silencing of women and girls and deprives them of privacy," the EO reads. "It shall also be the policy of the United States to oppose male competitive participation in women's sports more broadly, as a matter of safety, fairness, dignity, and truth." Matt Sharp, senior counsel and director of the Center for Public Policy at Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), broke down how the EO will impact educational institutions across the country. "These schools, their duty is to comply with Title IX, first and foremost… so to the extent that these other states have laws to the contrary, those state laws ultimately have to give ground to Title IX and the requirement is that these schools and colleges have to comply with this directive," Sharp said to Fox News Digital. United Nations Hold Panel On Fighting Violence Against Women And Girls In Sports Read On The Fox News App Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 was originally a 37-word provision barring schools that receive federal funding from discriminating against students on the basis of sex, ensuring equal opportunity for women in the educational setting. ADF is actively involved in litigation challenging state laws that permitted transgender athletes to compete with females, which they have repeatedly argued flips the intention of Title IX on its head. "We know that federal law supersedes state law on these issues," Sharp added to Fox News Digital. "The clear policy from the Trump administration and what we would argue has always been the case with Title IX, is that allowing men to take away these opportunities violates that promise of equal opportunity for young women." The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), which has dragged its feet on establishing a policy restricting transgender participation in women's sports, issued a new policy in line with Trump's EO on Thursday, banning all biological males from women's sports. "A student-athlete assigned male at birth may not compete on a women's team," the new policy reads. The previous policy, which had been in place in 2010, allowed biological males to compete in the women's category after undergoing at least one year of testosterone suppression treatment. "We were encouraged to see the NCAA finally, I want to emphasize that, 'finally,' recognize that they've long been on the wrong side of this issue," Sharp said. "From very early on, they were the ones pushing the policies that allowed men to compete in women's sports and even after overwhelming evidence about men taking away opportunities from young women, rather than them showing real leadership, they kind of punted and said, 'Well, we're not going to have a policy, we're just going to defer to individual sporting association bodies.'" The "announcement that they're taking the position that a male student is not eligible to compete on women's teams is a good step and I want to applaud them once again for finally coming along with that," he added. "But I think there's still more work to be done, even by the NCAA." College Athlete, Olympian Call On Un To Support Fairness In Girls Sports: 'Stand Up For Human Rights Of Women' While the Trump administration's EO addresses female-only space like locker rooms, the NCAA did not provide clarification in its new regulations. "That's where some of the most tragic stories happen," Sharp said. "When you hear Riley Gaines and some of the other female athletes talk about the violation of their privacy when a male, Lia Thomas, was allowed into the girls' locker room with these NCAA sanctioned and organized events, that's not okay," he said to Fox News Digital. "The NCAA needs to do a whole lot more to ensure that female athletes that are part of the NCAA program get a fair and level playing field and have their privacy and safety protected when they're competing in NCAA events," he added. The EO also directs the Secretary of State to "see that the International Olympic Committee amends the standards governing Olympic sporting events to promote fairness, safety, and the best interests of female athletes by ensuring that eligibility for participation in women's sporting events is determined according to sex and not gender identity or testosterone reduction." Los Angeles is set to host the 2028 Summer Olympics, prompting questions about how the EO will be applied. The IOC faced global criticism at this summer's Paris Olympics, when Imane Khelif of Algeria and Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan won gold medals in women's boxing. Both athletes had previously been disqualified from international competitions for failing gender eligibility tests. However, the IOC and current President Thomas Bach voiced support for both athletes. Khelif and Yu-ting's natural birth sex is disputed. "We would hope the IOC would, of its own accord, follow this policy and more importantly, follow the science and make sure that men are not competing in women's sports," Sharp said. "We think that's the best of all outcomes, where the IOC on its own volition, course corrects and reinstitutes strong policies that make sure men are not in women's sports." While the executive order is a huge step in the right direction, Sharp said that in order to see lasting changes, the Supreme Court will need to provide clarity, so guidelines aren't changing from one presidential administration to the next. 2024 Paris Olympics: Understanding Ioc Framework On Transgender Athlete Participation The Biden-Harris administration attempted to redefine sex discrimination through its changes to Title IX to include gender identity, which critics argued would gut women's equal opportunities in sports and threaten their privacy and safety in private spaces. The changes were implemented nationwide in August in states where the rule doesn't face legal challenges. A federal judge blocked the Biden administration's Title IX changes nationwide in January. ADF still has cases pending in federal court challenging state laws that allow transgender participation in female sports, so a clear ruling from the Supreme Court would be beneficial, Sharp said. "The federal courts have very consistently ruled against the Biden administration's Title IX rule that tried to insert gender identity into Title IX," he added. "That's the right interpretation and what we would love is for the Supreme Court to affirm that so that it's not circuit by circuit, case by case, but as it was originally written, as it's properly interpreted, to protect opportunities for women based on biological sex, not on gender identity or anything else that was never contemplated when Title IX was enacted." On Thursday, the Department of Education announced investigations into San Jose State University, the University of Pennsylvania and Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association, where violations of Title IX have been reported, according to its press release. The Education Department's Office of Civil Rights (OCR) is also actively reviewing and evaluating Title IX compliance and protection for female athletes at a number of other article source: Trump admin executive order banning transgender participation in women's sports just the start, expert says
