Allison Kurian, MD, MSc, director of the Stanford Cancer Institute Population Sciences Program, and Stanford Cancer Institute member Jennifer Caswell-Jin, MD, received a $3.5 million legacy gift to launch the Bright Pink Preventive Risk Outreach And Cascade Testing (PROACT) Program.
The gift is provided by Bright Pink, a non-profit focused on improving outcomes for breast and ovarian cancer that concluded operations after 18 years. In 2021, Bright Pink’s original suite of programs and tools was acquired by the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Bright Pink then transitioned to a venture philanthropy model by investing assets, expertise, and capacity-building support into cutting-edge interventions that reduce disparities and save lives.
In collaboration with the University of Michigan, the Bright Pink PROACT Program builds on nearly two decades of Bright Pink's work using family health history to prevent cancer. Cascade genetic testing, which identifies inherited mutations like BRCA1 and BRCA2 and extends testing to relatives, is underutilized, with only one-third of at-risk people taking action. This gift will help the PROACT team promote action by making conversations about genetic risk easier and democratizing access. By offering testing at the point of care, along with a user-friendly online tool and low-cost, at-home testing kits, PROACT will help empower individuals to understand and share their genetic risks more effectively.
“This program builds on a proven platform that has already increased testing uptake and will provide critical insights to identify gaps in care, informing policy changes and systemic reforms,” says Kurian.
About Bright Pink
Bright Pink guided 1.8 million people to assess their risk for breast and ovarian cancer and take proactive steps, educated more than 110,000 people with in-person workshops, and provided comprehensive training to 20,000 women’s health providers.
Bright Pink’s legacy gift to launch the PROACT Program at Stanford Medicine marks the close of the organization’s daily operations and entrusts the work ahead to a visionary team of leading experts in breast and ovarian health who are dedicated to stewarding Bright Pink’s mission into the future while deepening and expanding its impact.
“Bright Pink has helped save countless lives from breast and ovarian cancer by empowering young women to know their risk and manage their health proactively through actionable information and support online, in healthcare settings, schools, workplaces, and communities nationwide,“ noted Lindsay Avner Kaplan, founder and CEO of Bright Pink. “Through award-winning digital tools, high-impact programs, and strategic partnerships with world-class brands, Bright Pink has transformed the national conversation surrounding breast and ovarian cancer from awareness to life-saving action. I’m so grateful to our team members, board members, donors, corporate partners, and volunteers for helping us make such an important contribution to the health of young women.”
October 2024
By Katie Shumake
