BeeHealthy
Sister Study seeks sisters of women who had breast cancer

Susan G. Komen for the Cure, including its Western New York affiliate, is collaborating with the Sister Study to recruit sisters of women who had breast cancer for a national study.

Conducted by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, one of the Nation's Institutes of Health, Sister Study is designed to explore how the environment and genes affect the chances of getting breast cancer.

NIEHS hopes to enroll 50,000 women whose sisters had breast cancer, and the institute considers it imperative to meet the enrollment goal by the end of 2007.

Since its national launch in October 2004, the Sister Study has successfully recruited more than 30,000 participants, but recruitment is far from over.

"This is a wonderful way for interested women to get personally involved with important breast cancer research," says Jackie Mordaunt, executive director of Komen Western New York.

"If you are eligible to participate in this important endeavor, we encourage you to make the commitment," she said.

Women in the United States and Puerto Rico ages 35 to 74 may be eligible to join Sister Study if their sister, living or deceased, had breast cancer.

Women who join the Sister Study must never have been diagnosed with breast cancer themselves.

Breast cancer affects women of all backgrounds, occupations, ages and ethnic groups.

According to the NIEHS, the Sister Study follows sound, ethical research practices and keep all personal data safe, private and confidential.

Women who join are not asked to take any medicine, visit a medical center or make any changes to their habits, diet or daily life.

To volunteer or to learn more about Sister Study, visit www.sisterstudy.org or call 1-877-4SISTER (1-877-474-7837).