Sharsheret and the CDC “Know BRCA” – Do You?
Sharsheret is proud to have been awarded a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to develop and implement our program for young Jewish breast cancer survivors, Thriving Again®. This grant was part of a larger CDC initiative to address breast cancer in young women. Since 2011, Sharsheret’s Founder and Executive Director, Rochelle Shoretz, has served on the Federal Advisory Committee on Breast Cancer in Young Women, along with representatives from other major breast cancer organizations, supporting the development of national resources and awareness of the Jewish population’s unique role in the conversation about breast cancer.
The CDC recently announced the launch of Know: BRCA, an initiative and web-based resource designed to promote BRCA gene mutation awareness in young women. 1 in 40 Ashkenazi Jews carries a BRCA gene mutation, compared to 1 in 345 in the general population, making Jewish families 10 times more likely to develop hereditary breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and related cancers. This CDC initiative brings Sharsheret another step closer to achieving our goals of enhancing awareness about the impact of BRCA gene mutations, the elevated risk of developing hereditary cancer among Jewish families, and the need for tailored support for the more than 250,000 women under 40 living with breast cancer in the United States today.
If you have a family history of cancer, or a BRCA gene mutation, call Sharsheret at 866.474.2774 or email [email protected] to speak with a member of our clinical staff and join our Genetics for Life® program.