I am posting this on behalf of a friend of mine, whose daughter has been fighting breast cancer for some three and a half years. Laura is a young, bright and loving woman who has not let her health issues dominate her life. However, her cancer keeps coming back, and soon she’ll be participating in a study for aggressive treatment. (Please keep her in your prayers and good thoughts)

Both Laura and her husband, and both their families, have been helped by the good offices of the Young Survival Coalition, an international network of breast cancer survivors and supporters dedicated to the critical concerns and issues unique to young women and breast cancer.

From the YSC Research page:

One of the many challenges young women face when they are diagnosed is finding treatment data that is relevant to their age group to help them make educated treatment decisions. Most research is focused on post-menopausal women, and premenopausal women – particularly those in their 20s and 30s – are dramatically under-represented. This gap in research data makes it even more challenging for young women to navigate through their breast cancer experience, which is already wrought with unique challenges.

A key strategy to achieve the YSC’s mission is increasing the quality and quantity of research done on young women affected by breast cancer by defining the unanswered questions and critical issues surrounding young women affected by the disease, such as: better screening methodologies, long-term effects of treatment, hormonal treatments, fertility issues and the pathological differences in a younger woman’s disease.

YSC is working to define the greatest research needs within the population, and advocating those needs to doctors and researchers to help us unlock the keys as to why young women get breast cancer, in hopes of answering the question of why women of all ages are diagnosed with the disease.

Richard, Laura’s husband, is giving back to the YSC through his participation in Hershey’s Tour de Pink, a three day, 220 mile bike ride in early October. All riders must raise a minimum of $2500 to participate, and one hundred percent of the monies raised go to the Young Survival Coalition.

If you would like to help Richard and Laura–or the YSC in general–you can donate online here.

Thank you; may your life be free of fear and pain.