Everything you do makes a difference
Getting Involved
After treatment for breast cancer ends, you can continue to be a part of the breast cancer cause through research, community work or advocacy efforts.
Getting involved can be personally rewarding and can help others.
Whether you enroll in a research study, serve as an advisor, or volunteer for an advocacy group, you can make a difference. Being involved in such efforts makes you part of the progress to ending breast cancer.
Getting involved in research
Joining a study for people who’ve had breast cancer
There are many clinical trials and other types of research studies for people who’ve completed treatment for breast cancer.
Some research studies look at the long-term effects of breast cancer treatment on recurrence and other health issues. Other studies focus on quality of life after treatment, the benefits of complementary therapies or the effect of lifestyle factors on breast cancer recurrence.
If you’d like to join a study, talk with your health care provider. They may be able to help you find a clinical trial or other type of research study.
ShareForCures
Susan G. Komen® ‘s ShareForCures is a breast cancer research registry, connecting scientists with information from people who have or had breast cancer. Everyone’s breast cancer information is unique. When combined with thousands of other ShareForCures members, we can provide scientists with a more diverse set of data to make new discoveries, faster.
ShareForCures is simple to join. Participation is open to any adult living in the U.S. who has been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Learn how to participate in ShareForCures®. We also have a video to learn more about ShareForCures.
Susan G. Komen® Patient Care Center |
If you or a loved one needs information or resources about clinical trials, the Patient Care Center can help. Contact the Komen Breast Care Helpline at 1-877-465-6636 or email clinicaltrialinfo@komen.org. Se habla español. |
BreastCancerTrials.org in collaboration with Komen offers a custom matching service to help find clinical trials that fit your needs.
Learn more about clinical trials.
Serving as a reviewer or an advisor
Some organizations that fund or conduct research involve people who’ve had breast cancer as advocates.
As a research advocate, you may review research proposals and work with researchers to design and carry out studies.
Komen Advocates in Science Program
Komen established its Advocates in Science (AIS) Program to build skilled, knowledgeable and broadly‐networked breast cancer research advocates and actively engage them throughout the research process. They they bring the patient voice to Komen’s – and other organizations’—research programs in all areas of breast cancer research.
Learn more about the Komen AIS program.
Serving as a member of an institutional review board
Institutional review boards (IRBs) make sure clinical studies follow federal guidelines related to research involving people. They also review informed consent materials.
Hospitals, academic centers, pharmaceutical companies and other groups that conduct clinical trials have IRBs. People who’ve had breast cancer are often included as members.
To see if an IRB is looking for community members, contact the research office of your local hospital, university or other agency funding breast cancer research.
Getting involved as an advisor or volunteer
Some organizations, including Komen, and government agencies have programs to benefit people diagnosed with cancer or to serve the community at large.
As someone who’s had breast cancer, you can get involved in these programs as an advisor for planning or oversight, or more directly as a volunteer.
Learn about ways to volunteer for Komen.
Getting involved as a policy advocate with Komen
Being an advocate for breast cancer awareness and research funding is one of the best ways you can make a difference.
Susan G. Komen® Center for Public Policy
Since our early days, Komen has worked to mobilize communities to take action on issues that affect people with breast cancer and their loved ones. We cannot do it alone. Our Center for Public Policy is powered by you.
Learning about public policy issues can empower you to become a strong advocate for change. Together, we can make sure the voices of women and men with breast cancer are heard by lawmakers and government agencies across the U.S.
Action at all levels of government is vital for making the broad, lasting changes we need to save lives and end breast cancer forever. We need your help. Real change requires a chorus of voices.
Learn more about becoming an advocate and make your voice heard.
Getting involved as an advocate with a government agency
Support government funding of research
The federal government, through the National Institutes of Health, funds much of the breast cancer research in the U.S.
Let your legislators know (with a phone call, e-mail or letter) you value breast cancer research. This helps make sure funding for cancer research is a priority.
Be an advocate in a government program
Federal health agencies, as well as state and local health departments, have ways for people who’ve had breast cancer to get involved in cancer programs.
To find opportunities at the federal agency level, visit the National Cancer Institute.
To get involved on a local level, learn about programs in your community. Contact your local or state health department or visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website (or call 1-888-842-6355) for a list of cancer programs in your state.
Other ways to get involved with Komen
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Everything you do makes a difference
No matter how you choose to get involved, you’ll make a difference in your own life and the lives of others.
These activities are not only personally rewarding, but they can also benefit many other people with breast cancer and their families now and in the future.
Everything you do makes a difference.
Updated 12/28/23
