Our Successes
A Focus on Research, Education, and Outreach
Placer Breast Cancer Endowment was formed in 2005 with the intent to raise $1.5 million to fund a Breast Cancer Chair at UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center. In 2015, after many years of fundraisers and support from local businesses and individuals in our community, we were proud to achieve our goal and presented a check to fund the Breast Cancer Chair. As the search continues for a dedicated researcher to take the job of endowed chair in our name, the interest on the Endowment is being used to fund an ongoing study about mammograms and breast cancer. With funding from the Placer Breast Cancer Foundation, Dr. Diane Miglioretti has created the Sacramento Area Breast Imaging Registry (SABIR) and using data collected by the registry to: (1) answer pressing questions about the best ways to provide breast cancer screening and surveillance; and (2) create mammography outcome audit reports at the facility and radiologist levels to evaluate their interpretive performance relative to national benchmarks. The registry will be an invaluable resource for local and national breast cancer research.
As board members and volunteers, we were proud of our achievement, but we knew we could do more. The Endowment became a Foundation and we continued the fight. In 2016, the Foundation committed to raising $100,000 over 3 years to help fund a study at UC Davis (managed by Wolf-Dietrich Heyer, PhD and Jie Liu, PhD) and their development of a 3D BRCA2 model. Mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 lead to defective DNA repair and predispose individuals to develop cancer. BRCA mutations occur in only 10-15% of all breast cancers, and the study of these proteins will lead researchers to better understand the underlying mechanism of how cancer develops and potentially develop new therapies. Dr. Heyer and Dr. Liu have achieved a breakthrough by purifying entire BRCA2 protein, a perquisite to determine its structure and function. For a quick overview of this on-going study, please read this Funding Goal Project Summary. We completed our commitment to this study in the Spring of 2019.
In 2019, we entered into a new commitment with UC Davis and the Comprehensive Cancer Center. We will be raising $175,000 over the next 5 years for a new study. To learn more about that commitment please read the 2024 Funding Goal Project Summary.
The Placer Breast Cancer Foundation also focuses on education. We are excited to be entering into our 7th year presenting the Placer Women’s Retreat which focuses on the overall well-being of all women, from mental health to nutrition, and includes educational updates on breast cancer research and treatments.
We are also proud to collaborate with other local non-profit cancer based organizations, supporting them in their efforts. Working together with, and occasionally sponsoring, these local non-profits that focus on providing services to cancer survivors and their families allows us an opportunity to provide information to our donors and the cancer patients and caregivers who reach out to the Foundation for information and resources.
We at the Foundation are proud of all that we have accomplished, and especially proud that the funds that are raised are kept in our local community. Through the generous donations of our community we will continue to work to fight against breast cancer and help those around us who are suffering from the disease.
Our Goals for 2024
- To continue to raise $175,000 for the funding of the Triple Negative Stage IV breast cancer study we committed to in 2019. For more information on this goal, please read our 2024 Funding Goal Project Summary.
- To present our 7th Annual Placer Women’s Retreat, to be held on June 8, 2024. For more details on this event, please click here. We would love for you to join us!
- To present our 16th Annual Hot Pink Fun Run on September 29, 2024. This is an opportunity for us to raise funds for our cause, unite our community in our fight, celebrate Survivors, and present a healthy, family-fun event. To sign up, please click here.
- To continue to join with and support our Community Partners who also work to fight breast cancer and provide services for families and individuals who are diagnosed with the disease.
- To provide another scholarship to a Roseville Joint Union High School District student who plans to go into healthcare in the cancer field.
- To develop an ongoing education program for our community.
The Placer Breast Cancer Foundation is a 501(c)3, tax ID #27-0690037. For more information about the Foundation, please download our PBCF Fact Sheet 2024.