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Mission
Statement
To support innovative research focusing on the causes, prevention,
screening, treatment and cure of breast cancer.
Background
Over the past several years, New Jersey has had the dubious
distinction of consistently ranking in the top ten states in
the nation for breast cancer incidence and mortality. To strengthen
the battle against breast cancer, citizens and policy leaders
joined together to establish an innovative funding source to
fund additional breast cancer research projects in New Jersey.
On January 26, 1995, Governor Whitman signed into law Assembly
bill A1701, an act establishing the "New Jersey Breast
Cancer Research Fund".
Meeting
the Breast Cancer Research Challenge in New Jersey
Citizens now have the opportunity to contribute to the New Jersey
Breast Cancer Research Fund through a check-off box on their
state income tax form. The Fund is administered by the New Jersey
State Commission on Cancer Research, which is the only state
agency dedicated to eradicating cancer through scientific research.
Monies from the NJ Breast Cancer Research Fund support innovative
breast cancer research projects, training fellowships, and educational
conferences. The legislation was initiated by the New Jersey
Breast Cancer Coalition, Inc. and sponsored in the Assembly
by The Honorable Rose Marie Heck (R-District 38), The Honorable
Chuck Hayatian (R-District 23), and in the Senate by the Honorable
John Scott (R-District 36) and The Honorable Peter Inverso (R-District
14).
Administration
of the Fund
The New Jersey Commission on Cancer Research administers the
Fund at no additional cost to the State. Through a competitive
scientific peer review process, the NJCCR awards monies for
research projects focusing "on the causes, prevention,
screening, treatment or cure of breast cancer and may include,
but is not limited to, basic, behavioral, clinical, demographic,
epidemiological, and psychosocial research" (P.L. 1995,
Chapter 26). Commission sponsored seed grants assist talented
researchers in obtaining additional funding from the federal
government, foundations and private sources. On average, for
every dollar the NJCCR awards, more than three dollars are returned
to the state for continued research.
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