Maloney Raises Millions to Fight to End Breast Cancer

Caption: Carolyn B. Maloney rang the opening bell at NASDAQ to bring awareness to and help support breast cancer research.

By Victoria Merlino

They’re ringing out for a cure.

Congress Member Carolyn B. Maloney (NY-12) rang the opening bell at NASDAQ in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month on Oct. 16 to bring awareness to the illness that affects one out of eight U.S. women.

“When I first came to Congress, I wanted to double federal funding for breast cancer research and I am proud to say that we have actually more than tripled it!” Maloney said in a statement about the Breast Cancer Research Fund (BCRF). “We have allocated more than $885 million in federal funds this year but what I always hear from breast cancer research and awareness groups is that we need ever more funding because research is the only way we are going to finally defeat breast cancer.”

Maloney was joined by breast cancer survivors, Myra Bibowit, President and CEO of the BCRF, William Lauder, President of the American Medical Women’s Association and Dr. Connie B. Newman, President of the Medical Women’s Associations, who is also a breast cancer survivors.

Maloney authored the Breast Cancer Awareness Commemorative Coin Act, which created the U.S. Mint’s Breast Cancer Awareness Commemorative Coin Program. The “pink-gold” coin could potentially raise $8.5 million for the BCRF and the coin is on sale through the end of the year.

“Breast cancer does not discriminate,” said William Lauder, BCRF Chairman and Executive Chairman of The Estée Lauder Companies, in a statement. “Every 2 minutes a woman in the U.S. is diagnosed with the disease. We’re making great strides towards eradicating breast cancer—research is the reason that breast cancer deaths are down by 40% over the last 25 years. But there is still critical work to be done and funds raised from this coin will bring us closer to our mission to end breast cancer.”