Pfizer and the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, announced grant recipients this week under the Seeding Progress and Resources for the Cancer Community: Metastatic Breast Cancer (SPARC MBC) Challenge, an initiative to fund projects that help women with metastatic breast cancer worldwide.
A total of 20 organizations from 18 countries have been selected to receive grants amounting to $760,000 in funding provided by Pfizer.
“Globally, there are wide disparities in the diagnosis, management and care of metastatic breast cancer, a disease that is clinically complex, emotionally burdensome and socially misunderstood,” Sanchia Aranda, president-elect of the UICC, said. “We are hopeful this program will help us to fulfill our mission of promoting greater equity in access to comprehensive breast cancer services, and we are thrilled with the community’s response to the SPARC MBC Challenge and the number of applications submitted to support projects that can greatly impact the lives of women living with this diagnosis.”
Because of this high level of interest, Pfizer increased its funding of the initiative from $500,000 to $760,000 to support additional projects.
