PR NEWSWIRE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, October 27, 2003 The UC College of Medicine and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) have received funding to develop one of four "Breast Cancer & the Environment Research Centers" in the nation. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will provide funding of nearly $9.6 million over the next seven years for the new center, which will conduct two major research projects as well as provide community outreach and education with the collaboration of breast cancer advocacy organizations. Locally, these advocates include the Breast Cancer Alliance of Greater Cincinnati, Pink Ribbon Girls, and Patterns, Inc. "The breast cancer advocates in this community have been asking questions about the environmental factors related to breast cancer for many years," said Kathy Ball, RN, a breast cancer survivor and the Cincinnati Center's volunteer Community Outreach Advisor. "We have worked diligently with our Congressmen to get the legislation enacted to create these Centers." Nancy Zimpher, PhD, president of UC, said, "We should be very proud of this achievement and I want to thank Senator Voinovich and Janet Voinovich for their leadership and support in securing the research funding. I also want to thank the local breast cancer advocacy community for making the Growing Up Female project possible through their untiring educational and communications efforts." "We're excited and honored to be chosen as one of the centers, and look forward to working with our community partners on this project," said Sue Heffelfinger, MD, PhD, associate professor in the UC College of Medicine and director of the new center. "Together, our research and outreach efforts will make an impact on a disease which claims the lives of 40,000 women per year in the U.S." "The courage and compassion of the breast cancer survivors have been truly inspirational," said Frank Biro, MD, professor of clinical pediatrics and principal investigator of the Female Development & Maturation Study. "We look forward to the researchers, breast cancer survivors, and participants and their families working together to help evaluate the links between breast cancer and the environment." Jane Henney, MD, senior vice president and provost for health affairs at UC said, "Although we have made great progress in detecting and treating breast cancer, it is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women in the U.S. today." The Breast Cancer & the Environment Research Center studies will investigate the impact of chemical, physical, biological, social and genetic factors on female development and maturation. The influence of these factors may determine a young girl's risk of developing breast cancer later in life. "This kind of information will allow us to develop strategies so that the risk does not become a reality," Dr. Henney said. "The work we do here in Cincinnati holds the potential to improve the health of future generations here and everywhere." The UC/Cincinnati Children's Hospital Center's proposal, "Puberty & Cancer Initiation: Environment, Diet & Obesity" was selected through a national competitive process. Representatives of breast cancer support, advocacy, education and service organizations will remain actively involved with the project throughout its seven-year duration. For a summary of the proposal, researcher profiles and additional information related to the Breast Cancer & the Environment Research Centers, please visit the Web site "Growing Up Female: Environmental Factors in Female Development & Disease" at www.eh.uc.edu/growingupfemale. close window