Committed to funding research dedicated to eradicating environmental causes of breast cancer

Massachusetts General Hospital salutes Anbinder's efforts

When Eleanor "Ellie" Anbinder was diagnosed with breast cancer 17 years ago, she was shocked because she thought the disease would only affect those with a family history of breast cancer. Ever since, she has been convinced that the ailment must have environmental causes.

"I still don't understand why I got it," she said. "My question was and still is, 'Why is this happening?'

Anbinder took that question seriously, and over the past nine years, she has dedicated a great deal of time and effort to address the subject. In 2000, Anbinder co-founded a nonprofit to fund research dedicated to finding the relationship between environmental chemical exposure and breast cancer. For her endeavor, Anbinder was honored this past Wednesday at Massachusetts General Hospital's The One Hundred. Read more...

Brookline scientist looking for cause of breast cancer in household objects

Since she started a new job as medical researcher six years ago, 2009 Seed the Scientist Recipient, Doctor Perinaaz Wadia has started to view all the plastics in her house with suspicion. She’s stopped microwaving leftovers in plastic containers and eats out of glass dishes whenever possible.

That’s because many of the plastics in our homes contain a chemical called Bisphenol A, a new-age material that’s great for sealing the inside of tin cans and making sturdy plastic bottles, but it could also be responsible for many otherwise-unexplained cases of breast cancer in the United States... Read more

Art beCAUSE 2010 Calendar of Events

February 11: Art opening and Sale at Post Road Gallery (link to that info I sent you with the big pink ribbon)

March 21: Spring Art and Jewelry Sale: Margot's Gallery; Haverhill(www.margotsgallery.com)

April 8: Gallery Opening at the New England Institute Of Art: Art beCAUSE Portrait Project: 6-9

April 19: Art beCAUSE Marathon Team Running the Boston Marathon (click here to contribute to the team)

April 28: Mah Jong Tournament: Location to be announced

May 2: Rhode Island Portrait Project Opening and Lecture

September: Worcester 5K (date to be announced)

October 14: SAVE THE DATE: Art beCAUSE Annual Gala

Brookline photographer captures images of breast cancer survivors after losing his wife to the disease

David Fox has spent a lot of time with survivors.

Some came, smiling and without shame, to bare the scars left by breast cancer. Others brought the mothers and daughters who sustained them through the fight. And others came alone, offering themselves as proud proof of their disease.

"They just came in and they wanted to show off who they were, every one of them," said Fox, a Brookline portrait photographer who operates a studio in Framingham. "They had such pride, such an exuberance for life, and they wanted that to be captured in the images." Read more

News and Updates

June 2009: Progress Report: Semi-Annual Update from 2008 Seed The Scientist recipient, Betina Lew

Febuary 2009: "The Role of an Environmental Chemical Receptor, the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor, in Breast Cancer Cell Growth and Invasion," Supraja Narasimhan

Our Mission

The mission of the Art beCAUSE Foundation is to fund research dedicated to eradicating the environmental causes of breast cancer.

Why are we important?

This year 250,000 people - mostly women - in the United States will learn that they have breast cancer. Forty thousand will die. They leave grieving, heartbroken families.

Scientists know that breast cancer is associated with exposure to natural estrogens and other hormones. Now we are learning that certain chemicals found in common household products can mimic estrogens. More than 100 of these can make breast cancer cells grow in the lab.

Our strategy: Seed the Scientist

Art beCAUSE is committed to seeking out and funding "Seed the Scientist" research projects that deal with the links between breast cancer and the environment.

In 2008 a $15,000 grant was awarded to Dr. Betina Lew of the University of Rochester, who is looking at the "In utero" exposure to TCDD and the development of breast cancer. TCDD activates the AhR receptor which can lead to later life breast cancer. So if the AhR receptor can be deregulated, perhaps cancer formation in later life can be prevented. The Art beCAUSE Breast Cancer Foundation is the first "seed" on this research.

Read the latest Seed the Scientist Updates and Progress Reports