Pfizer Inc.  has awarded a total of more than $1 million in funding to five leading breast cancer advocacy organizations to support projects focused on metastatic breast cancer (MBC) scientific research and quality-of-life studies. The awards are part of Pfizer’s Breast Cancer: A Story Half Told initiative, aimed at uncovering gaps in the public’s knowledge of MBC and bringing greater attention to the unique needs and experiences of people living with this disease. The need for greater research funding is among the most pressing the MBC community faces, with only about 7 per cent of the total breast cancer investment focused on MBC.

“These awards – which support advocacy-led, metastatic-focused research efforts – are an important addition to the Story Half Told initiative,” said Matt Shaulis, regional president, North America, Pfizer Oncology. “They also are aligned with Pfizer’s broader commitment to drive scientific advancement in breast cancer across stages and beyond our walls, building on the more than $35 million we have invested in unique breast cancer and metastatic breast cancer research funding partnerships over the last three years.”

“Since the launch of Story Half Told in 2014, we have worked with our partners to bring greater attention to the needs of people with metastatic breast cancer so they are not lost in the broader breast cancer conversation,” said Dr. Julia Perkins Smith, North America Medical Affairs lead, Pfizer Oncology. “We are proud to support the meaningful work being done by the advocacy community to help improve the outlook for people living with metastatic disease.”

The five organizations have received supportive funding from Pfizer’s Story Half Told initiative are: Breast Cancer Research Foundation (link is external);  Dr Susan Love Research Foundation (link is external);  Metastatic Breast Cancer Network (link is external);  METAvivor (link is external) – Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness, Research and Support; and  Susan G. Komen (link is external) - Young Investigators in MBC.

“Metastatic breast cancer patients are in great need of treatment advances that will both extend and improve the quality of our lives – and that doesn’t come without focused research,” said Shirley Mertz, president, Metastatic Breast Cancer Network (MBCN). “I am pleased not only that MBCN has received this funding from Pfizer to support our research efforts, but that the other four recipient organizations will also be pursuing projects to help further the scientific understanding of metastatic breast cancer and impact the way it is treated.”

Metastatic breast cancer, also known as Stage 4 breast cancer, occurs when cancer has spread beyond the breast to other parts of the body, including the bones, liver, lungs or brain. An estimated 150,000-250,000 women in the US are living with MBC, and face a median survival of three years following diagnosis.

In September 2015, Pfizer and leaders in the breast cancer community launched the most recent chapter of the Breast Cancer: A Story Half Told initiative, inspired by the findings from a 2014 public survey in which the majority of Americans surveyed reported they knew little to nothing about MBC. This latest chapter focuses on the personal stories of women with MBC as captured through poignant photography. In 2015, five well-known photographers and five women with MBC joined the program, and their stories continue to be featured on www.storyhalftold.com (link is external) and the Story Half Told social media channels (Instagram, Facebook and Twitter). In the coming months, the stories of additional women with MBC will be shared through photography and video vignettes that will be released on the website and social channels.

Pfizer launched Breast Cancer: A Story Half Told in October 2014 hand-in-hand with a steering committee of patient advocates, healthcare professionals and subject-matter experts by unveiling research aimed at understanding the societal misperceptions of MBC and gaps in patient-physician dialogue. These results culminated in a public call-to-action to heighten understanding and knowledge of MBC within society as whole and improve patient-physician conversations, both areas that Story Half Told continues to address.