From the Executive Director

In recent months, the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition has honored our mission of prevention with the celebration of the 20th anniversary of our sister organization, Silent Spring Institute, our attendance and acceptance of the Massachusetts General Hospital's one hundred honor, as well as the 22nd annual Against the Tide event in Hopkinton. In addition, I had the pleasure of speaking at the "Towards a Cancer Free Economy" forum held on Cape Cod.

This summer has also been a reflection that our work is not yet done. The Massachusetts FY 2015 budget outcome in the House of Representatives and State Senate was disappointing for both the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition and Silent Spring Institute. Yet we will persevere in our determination to seek funding for breast cancer prevention and environmental research -- funding that is presently sorely lacking. As long as environmental injustices continue to invade our communities, our bodies, and the well-being of our ecosystem, we will continue to advocate for prevention through community education, research advocacy, and changes to public policy. 

Let's Talk Prevention is our educational program to increase discussions about environmental exposures between health professionals and patients through the distribution and use of a booklet for health professionals and a brochure for patients. We invite you to review these materials and share them with your friends, family, and colleagues.

Thank you to all our Hopkinton Against the Tide participants, donors, volunteers, and sponsors. Your donations that support an inspiring participant or team of your choice are still being accepted online, plus corporate matching of donations is a great way to help support MBCC.

We hope that you will join us as a participant, donor, volunteer, spectator, or sponsor at our 15th annual swim, kayak, walk, or run Against the Tide fundraiser on August 16th in Brewster, MA. Your support, and that of our sponsors, has allowed the us to hold these inspirational and educational statewide events for the past twenty-two years.

Thank you for your continued support, and best wishes for a enjoyable summer. 

Cheryl Osimo

Executive Director

Moving Toward a Cancer Free Economy Forum

What would it take to wean our economy off its dependency on carcinogenic chemicals? At the "Towards a Cancer Free Economy" forum on June 23, leading advocacy groups including MBCC debated this question. MBCC Executive Director Cheryl Osimo was asked to speak alongside Dr. Richard Clapp, Lowell Center for Sustainable Production, along with Chuck Collins, a senior scholar at the Institute for Policy Studies. 

The community forum discussed strategies for building a cancer-free economy on a local level. The forum featured health activists from GreenCAPE and Jamaica Plain New Economy Transition as well as experts from the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production (University of Massachusetts Lowell) which incorporates toxics use reduction into Massachusetts businesses to promote sustainability for workers, residents, and the businesses themselves. 

The forum provided information on the most recent scientific research on the role of chemical carcinogens in the onset of cancer, economic transition strategies and outcomes from the "Cancer-Free Jamaica Plain Economy" experience, and a facilitated community discussion to identify needs and opportunities in Falmouth and other towns on Cape Cod to shift economic activity away from carcinogens and towards safer alternatives and practices. 

Panelists at the Event: (L to R) David Dow (Sierra Club), Sue Phelan (GreenCape), Carlos Espinza-Toro (Jamaica Plain New Economy Transition), Rev. Murphy (Chair of the Cape Cod and Islands Sierra Club), Cheryl Osimo (Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition and Silent Spring Institute), Dr. Richard Clapp (Lowell Center for Sustainable Production), Claire B.W. Miller (Toxic Action Center). 

Flame Retardant Update: Kaiser pledges to only purchase flame retardant free furniture

In our March/April eNewsletter, we reported on TB117-2013, the revised flammability standard passed in California in January 2014 that has become de-facto standard for much of the United States. The new standard is an important step towards reducing exposures to flame retardant chemicals, which are often found in high levels in our homes and bodies and have been linked to many health problems including cancer, infertility, and birth defects. 

The revised TB 117-2013 is a performance-based flammability standard that allows furniture to be made without using these toxic chemicals. Since the passing of TB117-2013, Kaiser Permanente, an integrated managed healthcare consortium, heralded a large shift in their purchasing to support its hospital facilities. As of June 2014, they have pledged to purchase only furniture free of added flame retardant chemicals and that meets the requirements of TB117-2013. Kaiser Permanente is the first health system to commit to removing chemicals from hospital furniture citing concerns over exposure to potential toxics. This decision could also herald a shift for other industries and sectors of business to change their purchasing habits.  

Click here to read more including the full TB 117-2013 Technical Bulletin and learn more about what these flammability standards mean for Massachusetts.