What’s New? Komen Tissue Bank Happenings

 

Indy KTB Collection Event is November 16th, 2019

Our final tissue collection event of 2019 will be held in Indianapolis on November 16th. This will likely be the last event held in our home location for about a year, as we are planning a Bloomington IN event for the spring of 2020. Donor and volunteer registration are open now. We want to particularly and strongly encourage members of racial and ethnic groups to consider donating, as tissue from these populations are in demand by researchers.

A Letter from a Breast Cancer Survivor

A remembrance from the KTB tissue collection event on November 3, 2018

Today was a very special day. As a volunteer at one of the healthy breast tissue donation events, at the Indiana University Simon Cancer Center, I witnessed what I believe to be the beginning of ground breaking research in progress!

As a previous IU employee and having worked in the breast oncology department, I was privy to seeing what takes place in the lab, under microscopes and the passion these researchers have for what they can make happen for breast cancer research on a daily basis. Today however; I viewed through a microscope how BRCA2 breast cancer cells have been identified from healthy breast tissue. As it was being explained to me by one of our well-known researchers, Dr. Hari Nakshatri, I could sense even his enthusiasm in what I was looking at!

These healthy breast tissue samples are being donated graciously and without reserve by women who understand the need to make progress in how a breast cancer develops. In order to accomplish that, researchers can look at healthy breast tissue samples and compare those to the cancerous breast tissue to gain knowledge of how and what has happened. With that knowledge, the hope is to stop the cancer cells before they have a chance to spread!

I have definitely learned that these world renowned researchers are not only elated when it comes to discoveries such as this, but it leaves them even hungrier for additional advancement in their labs. Even the smallest discoveries can and do open doors for not only breast cancers, but many other cancers as well. The terms “precision” medicine and “individualized” medicine have emerged from both healthy breast tissue and monetary donations alike.

Seeing what I witnessed today is so important to me not only as a BRCA1 carrier and triple negative breast cancer survivor, but I have family members who are at risk. Keeping a close eye on supporting these advances, I believe is the key to opening doors so that no one in my family, nor anyone else’s family, will have to endure hearing the words, “you have breast cancer”.

Let’s keep our researchers very hungry a lot longer!
Lisa Miller
8-year breast cancer survivor

Super Service Challenge

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As a result of your participation by watching and liking our video in the 2018 Super Service Challenge, the KTB received $150! That is enough money to pay about 50% of the operating costs for one tissue donation! Thank you to our amazing volunteers for putting the video together and for our loyal followers who voted for us. In case you missed it, here is a link to our video : https://superservicechallenge.com/Video/Details/2229

2019 Indy Race for the Cure

For the first time, the KTB sponsored a booth at the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Indianapolis on April 27th. KTB Staff members and volunteers were there handing out information about the Komen Tissue Bank and answering your questions. Thanks to everyone who stopped by to say hi. Be sure to look for us to be there again next year!