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SPRING 2009 11Gail Minskyfrom Sara Jane MossSylvia Mogosfrom Lucretia NistorDeb Mosleyfrom Laurie J. EarpOur Daughter, Rebecca Natalonifrom Frances and John NataloniNarcisa Nazariofrom Danisha NazarioTanya Neimanfrom Brett Mangelsfrom Marci B. Sevilleand Lisa Riordan-SevilleMarti Nelson, M.D.from Patricia Jordan-Grinsladefrom Sylvia MitchellPenny Nicholsfrom Richard Leiterand Pam NicholsBarbara Novackfrom Linda NovackTerrence L. O'Brienfrom JoAnn O'BrienNorma Petersonfrom Cynthia DorfmanMary Ponton Hoaglundfrom Rhoda Rudd PrallElenore Predfrom Dena F. andRalph Lowenbachfrom Linda Roweand Dennis Kellettfrom Roslyn Schwartzfrom Linda D. Taggart, Her Sisterfrom Julia TowerMelissa Quanfrom Margo L. ArcaninJosephine Renzi and MarieThompsonfrom Susan Thompson FrenchMary Jane Richards, My Motherfrom Victoria Sue LantzMelody Rinesfrom Melita RinesIlene Rockmanfrom Fred GertlerAnne Rosenbaumfrom Neshama FranklinBrenda Rothfrom Barbara and James KautzAnne Sachsfrom Marilyn and Morris SachsCarol L. Scott, My Sisterand Best Friendfrom Sherri D. WebbPat Singerfrom Cathy R. KornblithRuth C. Soltanoff-Jacobsfrom Rochelle Galatand Bruce JacobsPamela J. Stagefrom Clifford P. StageIrving Steinfrom Arthur HoldenRuth Stephensonfrom Heather StephensonSusan Stonefrom Diana EtsHokinfrom Linda G. MarksStella Szterenfeldfrom Helen SzterenfeldChristine Tamblynfrom Rebecca Tamblyn Penceand Emily Pencefrom Ruth and James TamblynEvelyn Telseyfrom Nadia TelseyKatheryn Tichenorfrom Henry Greeleyfrom Patricia Taylor Greerfrom La Salle High Schoolfrom North Falmouth SchoolSunshine Fundfrom Patricia Kearney-McCartyand Ernest McCartyHelen Tonegatofrom Theresa AttardPeggy Traskfrom Fred W. TraskThank you for giving.Your contributions help uscarry the voices of peopleaffected by breast cancer.Marla Turskeyfrom Charlotte andArthur Zitrin FoundationSusan Tygelfrom AnonymousJudith Wachsfrom Rita ArdittiJane Walker Milburnfrom Martha Ward EvansElizabeth Leary Walshfrom Ned WalshDon Wanzorfrom Sarah Marxerand Lisa WanzorMary Winterfrom Catharine E. KibiraConstance Wofsy, M.D.,and Maire McAuliffe, M.D.from James BudkeMicky Wolfefrom Virginia WolfeNoah Wolfsonand Barbara Seamanfrom Alice J. Wolfsoncontinued from page 2If a “chronic” disease is one that the public believes can besuccessfully managed by the person who is ill—without serious sideeffects from the treatments—clearly metastatic breast cancer is not achronic disease. If metastatic breast cancer is ever to actually becomea chronic disease, we will need far more progress in treatment andimproved quality of life for those who take these treatments.Breast cancer is also sometimes referred to as a chronic disease,because the risk of recurrence never completely disappears. Womenwith early stage disease are followed in medical care for long periodsof time. (Sometimes for as long as they live, even though they maywell live a long life and die without a breast cancer recurrence.) Inthis context, the push to view breast cancer as a chronic diseaseseems to be an effort by the cancer establishment to convince thepublic that we can manage it successfully, and therefore we neednot be concerned by the fact that there are still millions of womendiagnosed with breast cancer every year.Urging the public to accept the notion of early breast cancer asa chronic disease undermines the demand for true breast cancerprevention. After all, if you can manage an illness once it occurs, whyshould you be concerned about keeping people from getting it?How we think and talk about breast cancer and other cancers clearlyhas implications for how we address the disease. We all need to movebeyond accepting the notion of breast cancer as a chronic disease ifwe are to have any hope of truly ending the epidemic. XMore on BCA’s view of cancer issues can be found atwww.bcaction.org/index.php?page=cancer-policy-perspective.