Who is MBCN?
MBCN is a national, independent, nonprofit, all volunteer patient advocacy group dedicated to the unique concerns of the women and men living with metastatic breast cancer. We strive to help those living with stage IV breast cancer be their own best advocate through providing education and information on treatments and coping with the disease.
Our Mission
The Metastatic Breast Cancer Network (MBCN), a volunteer, patient-led advocacy organization, seeks to address the unique needs and concerns of women and men who are living with metastatic or Stage IV breast cancer.
WE SEEK TO:
- EDUCATE patients about metastatic breast cancer treatments and how to cope with the disease; Educate the public about the differences between early and advanced stage disease.
- EMPOWER patients to use their story and voice to bring attention to the needs of metastatic breast cancer patients and to use their knowledge to participate more fully with their healthcare provider
- ADVOCATE for focused research to find more targeted therapies to lengthen the lives of patients and make metastatic breast cancer truly a chronic disease like diabetes or HIV/AIDS
Who formed the organization?
MBCN was founded in 2004 by Jane Soyer and Nina Schulman. When diagnosed with advanced breast cancer, they experienced feelings of isolation from the very groups established to provide support. They felt the stigma of being a ‘failure’ in the breast cancer community. Their belief that cancer cannot be viewed as a disease from which one is either a ‘survivor’ or to which one has succumbed, fueled their desire to advocate for change.
