The Charities

Over CHF 100,000.- was raised for Breast Cancer in 2006 & 2007 and the charities that benefited were:

 

 

Breast Cancer - The facts are alarming:

  • 1 in 9 women suffer from breast cancer in the UK
  • It will kill over 250 women in the UK this week
  • In Switzerland 4 to 5 women die from breast cancer daily.
  • Over 41,000 new cases are diagnosed every year alone in the UK
  • Men can get breast cancer too

Breast Cancer Haven  

Breast Cancer Haven believes no-one should have to face breast cancer alone

What is a Haven?

Havens are warm, welcoming places open to anyone affected by breast cancer in any way.

The free Haven Programme offers up to date information, counselling, education and complementary therapies to meet the needs of the individual before, during and after medical treatment for breast cancer.

Visitors first meet with a Senior Therapist to assess their needs and agree on a personalised treatment plan of individual and group therapies Visitors then attend the two-day Haven Support Workshop which gives them support and information, as well as practical ways to cope. It also introduces them to available therapies, groups and classes, which can be included in their treatment programme. Havens also offer support to the families and friends of Visitors.

The work of Breast Cancer Haven is supported by the medical fraternity with a number of senior breast care practitioners forming a clinical advisory board to the charity.

Why we are Different?

Despite a welcome increase in breast cancer awareness, Breast Cancer Haven remains the only charity that provides integrated healthcare specifically designed to support people and their families and friends affected by breast cancer.

Breast Cancer Haven works closely with other charities in the breast cancer community.

The Results so Far

The London Haven opened in February 2000 and has treated over 2,250 people. The Hereford Haven opened in January 2004 and has received over 300 visitors.

The London Haven can accommodate twelve, and the Hereford Haven eight, new visitors every week.

The Cost

It costs approximately £1,000 per Visitor going through the Haven Programme

It costs approximately £1,250,000 per year to run The London and Hereford Havens.

Breast Cancer Haven receives no Government funding and is dependent on charitable donations and fundraising events to meet all running costs and to fund future Havens.

The Future

Breast Cancer Haven is committed to creating a national network of Havens recognised as centres of excellence in breast cancer support. An expansion programme will deliver Havens in areas of greatest need, as quickly as resources allow.

The next Haven will be in the North of England.

In collaboration with academic institutions, Breast Cancer Haven is undertaking rigorous research to add to the evidence base for integrated breast cancer care.

 

Breast Cancer Haven
Effie Road
London
SW6 1TB
T 020 7384 0000, F 020 7384 0001
fundraising@breastcancerhaven.org.uk
www.breastcancerhaven.org.uk

 

International Breast Cancer Study Group (IBCSG)

Why breast cancer research?

Thanks to considerable progress in the therapy of breast cancer, today fortunately many affected women can be cured, very often without radical surgery. But still, breast cancer concerns one in 8 to 10 women in the course of her life. In Switzerland alone 4 to 5 women die from breast cancer daily. This and the fact that still many important scientific questions remain unanswered are the motivation behind our continuous efforts. It is our goal to find a therapy for each individual patient that offers her the most efficient treatment, combined with the best possible quality of life. This goal can only be reached with a tremendous commitment to clinical research.

In January 2005 we were able to publish the first results from a study with more than 8'000 patients, which already now influence the actual state of the art in breast cancer therapy. Projects of these dimensions are only possible with the participation of many affected women. They profit from the possibility to receive an ethically and medically monitored treatment at the forefront of today's therapeutic knowledge. At the same time they generously permit that the findings based on their treatment be used in research and this way serve other women affected by breast cancer in the future.

The planning, conduct and monitoring of such projects, from the treatment of the patients to the scrupulously precise and meticulous handling of the generated findings lies in the hands of highly specialised doctors, nurses and other specialised professionals.

The previous 28 years of scientific work at IBCSG were possible only with the financial support of visionary authorities and private companies who realized the importance of such a commitment and supported it.

In our field of research the answer to one question often brings up further questions that are of utmost importance for the concerned women. Today we are facing quite a number of questions that need to be investigated - the answers will bring us closer to our goal of an individualised therapy which offers the optimal combination of efficacy and quality of life. The high number of such unanswered questions and the increasing requirements to comply with national and international standards lead to a higher than ever financial need in order to fulfil our mission. Over the years it has become obvious that the commitment to clinical breast cancer research can not longer remain only on the agendas of authorities and companies but that this is a matter of concern for the whole of society and therefore deserves the financial support of everyone.

International Breast Cancer Study Group (IBCSG)
Effingerstrasse 40
CH-3008 Bern
Switzerland
Tel: 00 41 31 389 92 26
Fax: 00 41 31 389 92 00
www.ibcsg.org