We all know someone diagnosed with breast cancer. She is your mother, your wife, your daughter, your sister, your friend. Men can also be diagnosed with breast cancer.  One in eight women, with no family history of breast cancer, will be diagnosed with the disease in her lifetime. Some women are diagnosed with Metastatic Breast Cancer, (MBC, Stage 4). This is breast cancer that has already spread beyond the breast to distant parts of the body at the time of initial diagnosis (brain, bones, liver, lungs).

The majority of the one in eight women described above will be diagnosed with breast cancer at earlier stages (0 to 3). These stages are very treatable, and in fact can be "cured", according to the medical field.  However, this term is deceiving. The fact remains that a woman diagnosed with early stage breast cancer always remains at risk for the cancer returning; 30% return to Stage 4. 

There is currently no cure for MBC, and even though the majority of recurrences are stage 4, only approximately 5% of the money available for breast cancer research goes to research for MBC. MBC patients are in treatment the rest of their lives.  MBC patients become resistant to the medications and the goal is to fund for future medication therapies. 

"PAR 4 the Cure” is hosted by Sandra Tatroe and Kara Rizzardi, two local moms, battling breast cancer, who are very passionate about educating and raising money for research for Metastatic Breast Cancer.  

The proceeds of this event will go to The Cancer Couch Foundation, a local charity, founded by the late Dr. Rebecca Timlin-Scalera.  The funds are anonymously matched, and 100% of that total will go exclusively to Metastatic Breast Cancer research at Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Memorial Sloan Kettering, two of the leading Cancer Hospitals in the World.  These two institutions are on the cutting edge of research.   

Please visit the Cancer Couch website to learn more about this amazing nonprofit:

https://www.thecancercouch.com/ .