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Miami Dade College (MDC) will illuminate its Historic Landmark Freedom Tower, 600 Biscayne Blvd., in pink, teal, and blue at sunset on Tuesday, Oct. 13, in support of Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC) Awareness Day and 305 Pink Pack, which is partnering with METAvivor and Moore Fight Moore Strong to raise awareness about metastatic breast cancer, the most advanced stage of breast cancer.
This year, more than 115 landmarks in all 50 U.S. states and other countries around the world will be illuminated as part of the #LightUpMBC campaign.
Each year, more than 30 percent of the 1,800 women in Miami-Dade County diagnosed with breast cancer are already metastatic, meaning the cancer has spread to other organs.
Yet, only a minimal amount of funding is dedicated to researching MBC. The #LightUpMBC campaign aims to spread awareness, education and inspire people to mobilize and donate to MBC research.
There is no cure for metastatic breast cancer, which claims the lives of more than 600,000 people worldwide each year. Only about five percent of overall breast cancer research is currently allocated to researching metastatic breast cancer. Instead, the primary focus is typically on prevention and early detection, which does nothing to help those already diagnosed facing the ultimate death sentence of MBC, also known as stage IV breast cancer.
While only six to 10 percent of initial breast cancer diagnoses are metastatic, 20-30 percent of patients diagnosed with earlier stage breast cancer will eventually develop MBC.
These patients need more treatment options to survive, which can only be done by funding research.
305 Pink Pack is a 501(c)(3) organization created by cancer warriors that brings community, advocacy, and hope to women going through active cancer treatment in Miami-Dade County by providing free services that enable them to focus on healing.
