Hereditary Cancer Risk Resources
Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered
FORCE provides support, education and awareness to help those facing hereditary breast and ovarian cancer know their options and make informed decisions.
Oneinforty is a nonprofit organization dedicated to stopping BRCA-related cancer in its tracks. To advance this mission, Oneinforty raises awareness among Ashkenazi Jews of their high risk of inheriting cancer-causing BRCA gene mutations and provides the support individuals and families need to face this risk, prevent cancer and detect cancer early.
Pink Hope, based in Australia, is a preventative health organization working to ensure every individual can assess, manage and reduce their risk of breast and ovarian cancer, while providing personalized support for at risk women.
Breast Cancer Resources
The Breast Believe campaign, led by The Larry Fitzgerald Foundation (TLFF), aims to educate communities about early detection, prevention, symptoms, treatments, resources, and access surrounding a breast cancer diagnosis.
Breast Cancer Research Foundation
The Breast Cancer Research Foundation is a nonprofit organization committed to achieving prevention and a cure for breast cancer.
Breastcancer.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing the most reliable, complete, and up-to-date information about breast cancer.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Bring Your Brave campaign provides information about breast cancer by sharing real stories about young women whose lives have been affected by breast cancer. Watch these videos for advice on how to have family conversations about hereditary breast and ovarian cancer risks.
Founded in 2009 by a BRCA2 positive brother and sister who have both been diagnosed with breast cancer, HIS Breast Cancer Awareness assists men and women (girlfriends, wives, sisters & brothers, mothers & fathers, and friends), health care professionals, and anyone who is interested in learning about the risk, treatment(s), emotional aspect and stigmatism of men dealing with this disease. Watch their video interview on Good Morning America here.
Living Beyond Breast Cancer provides programs, resources and services to help people whose lives have been impacted by breast cancer.
The Male Breast Cancer Coalition (MBCC), a not-for-profit patient advocacy organization, brings everyone together to educate the world about male breast cancer.
Masthead was started with one goal: to provide women with comfort, support, and dignity as they prepare for, undergo, and recover from surgery and other treatments.
Penn Plastic Surgery and Penn Breast Reconstruction Advocate (PennBRA) work together to provide a resource that is used to empower and support you through breast reconstruction and beyond.
Praise Is The Cure uplifts patients, celebrates survivors, helps to promote breast cancer awareness, and aids in research for Black women. Their goal is to help create more survivors and inspire all to continue the fight against breast cancer.
Sharsheret, Hebrew for “chain”, is a national not-for-profit organization supporting young women and their families, of all Jewish backgrounds, facing breast and ovarian cancer.
Sisters Network® Inc. is committed to increasing local and national attention to the devastating impact that breast cancer has in the African American community.
SurviveHER is a breast cancer awareness nonprofit organization whose mission is to inform, inspire and empower women who have been affected and impacted by a breast cancer diagnosis.
Susan G. Komen is dedicated to education and research about causes, treatment, and the search for a cure and also leads the Komen Race for the Cure® and Susan G. Komen 3-Day™ events in cities across the country.
Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation
The Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation® is dedicated to supporting TNBC-specific research and to providing meaningful programs and services to the TNBC community.
Unite for HER enriches the health and wellness of those with breast and ovarian cancer for life through funding and delivering integrative therapies. If you are diagnosed within the last 18 months or living with metastatic disease contact info@uniteforher.org to learn how we can serve you.
Young Survival Coalition (YSC) is dedicated to the critical issues unique to young women who are diagnosed with breast cancer.
Ovarian Cancer Resources
Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance
OCRA’s mission is to promote, advocate for and support scientific research as it relates to the causes, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure for ovarian cancer; to provide education about ovarian cancer; to promote, advocate for and provide supportive services to persons affected by ovarian cancer; and to foster alliances to further those purposes.
National Ovarian Cancer Coalition
NOCC's goal is to educate communities and increase awareness about the symptoms of ovarian cancer. The NOCC also provides information to assist newly-diagnosed patients, hope to Survivors, and support to caregivers. The NOCC is also committed to the advancement of ovarian cancer research.
Sharsheret, Hebrew for “chain”, is a national not-for-profit organization supporting young women and their families, of all Jewish backgrounds, facing breast and ovarian cancer.
Tell Every Amazing Lady About Ovarian Cancer Louisa M. McGregor Ovarian Cancer
T.E.A.L.®'s mission is to promote public awareness and education of the signs, symptoms and risk factors of ovarian cancer, while providing free support to survivors and caregivers and raising funds for research in order to find the cure for ovarian cancer.
Ovarian Cancer Action is a UK charity dedicated to beating one of the most common cancers in women. Their mission is to empower women and to create a better future for the thousands of mothers, partners, sisters, daughters and friends affected by this disease through funding life-saving research, promoting screening programs, raising awareness, and more.
Pancreatic Cancer Resources
Let’s Win is a platform that enables patients, doctors, and researchers to share fast-breaking information on potentially life-saving pancreatic cancer treatments and trials that go beyond the standard of care.
The mission of the Lustgarten Foundation is advancing scientific and medical research related to the diagnosis, treatment, cure and prevention of pancreatic cancer.
The National Pancreas Foundation provides hope for those suffering from pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, and FCS through funding cutting edge research, advocating for new and better therapies, and providing support and education for patients, caregivers, and health care professionals.
Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is a nationwide network of people dedicated to working together to advance research, support patients and create hope for those affected by pancreatic cancer.
Prostate Cancer Resources
The Prostate Cancer Foundation is the world’s leading philanthropic organization funding and accelerating prostate cancer research.
Melanoma Resources
The Melanoma Research Foundation is the largest independent organization devoted to melanoma.
General Cancer and Health Resources
The American Cancer Society is a nationwide, community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem.
As the largest professionally led nonprofit network of cancer support worldwide, the Cancer Support Community is dedicated to ensuring that all people impacted by cancer are empowered by knowledge, strengthened by action and sustained by community. CSC achieves its mission through three areas: direct service delivery, research and advocacy.
Imerman Angels provides free personalized one-on-one support for cancer fighters, survivors, high-risk individuals and caregivers.
MyJewishGeneticHealth.com is a free, ongoing, online educational series that is designed for the Jewish community.
Penn Medicine’s OncoLink was the first cancer information website on the Internet, started in 1994, and remains one of the largest. OncoLink’s content ranges from treatment and disease information for a newly diagnosed patient including health insurance basics, support through the side effects of treatment, and into survivorship. Many articles are also available in Spanish. Cancer survivors can create a personalized survivorship care plan using OncoLife. OncoLink’s Reduce My Risk tool can help you learn about your cancer risk and what you can do to lower your risk.
Penn Medicine LGBT Health Program
The Penn Medicine Program for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Health is dedicated to improving the health of all LGBT people.
Program for Jewish Genetic Health
The Program for Jewish Genetic Health, affiliated with Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, was established to meet the genetic health needs of the Jewish community, and to adapt and evolve as these needs grow and change.
Psychosocial Resources*
Abramson Cancer Center - Patient & Family Support Services
Our support services include a wide range of educational materials and events to help cancer patients and their loved ones. They include support groups, classes, conferences and library of resources with the latest information for your particular type of cancer.
(This resource is available for Penn Medicine oncology patients only.)
BRCAStrong aims to support women who have been touched by breast and/or gynecological cancers by alleviating the emotional and financial burdens of women facing breast and/or ovarian cancer (regardless of genetic predisposition) through advocacy, direct assistance, empowerment and events.
The Breasties offer a cancer community app that allows you to connect with others impacted by breast cancer and gynecological cancers no matter your age, stage, story or diagnosis.
Whether you have been diagnosed with cancer, just learned about your hereditary cancer risk or have known about it for many years, trained FORCE volunteers are available to offer confidential support.
Imerman Angels provides free personalized one-on-one support for cancer fighters, survivors, high-risk individuals and caregivers.
The Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC) Breast Cancer Helpline links people to trained volunteers who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. LBBC offers three private Facebook support groups to help connect people going through similar experiences and to offer opportunities to learn from and help one another: Breast Cancer Support: All Ages, All Stages, Breast Cancer Support: Young Women and Support Community for High Risk.
Young Survival Coalition (YSC) strengthens the community, addresses the unique needs, amplifies the voice and improves the quality of life of young adults affected by breast cancer, locally, nationally and internationally.
*The University of Pennsylvania Health System offers these websites for general informational purposes only. Views expressed are those of the author or other attributed individual and do not necessarily represent the official opinion of the related Department(s), University of Pennsylvania Health System (Penn Medicine), or the University of Pennsylvania. Health information is provided for educational purposes and should not be used as a source of personal medical advice.
Financial & Legal Support
BRCAStrong aims to support women who have been touched by breast and/or gynecological cancers by alleviating the emotional and financial burdens of women facing breast and/or ovarian cancer (regardless of genetic predisposition) through advocacy, direct assistance, empowerment and events.
The Cancer Legal Resource Center (CLRC) provides information and education about cancer-related legal issues to the public through its national telephone assistance line.
National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program
For more than 20 years, CDC’s National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) has provided low-income, uninsured, and underserved women access to timely breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic services.
Penn Medicine Breast Health Initiative
The Penn Medicine Breast Health Initiative is a patient navigation program that offers free breast cancer screening and diagnostic services to those who are 40 years and older and uninsured or under-insured. Individuals at high risk for breast cancer may also qualify for services.
Right Action for Women provides assistance to women who are at increased risk for breast cancer and do not have insurance or the financial flexibility to cover the high costs associated with breast screenings.
Li-Fraumeni Syndrome Association
The Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS) Association provides a wide range of information, advocacy and support services for individuals and families with LFS, including Insurance basics for individuals with Li-Fraumeni Syndrome.
Latino Cancer Resources
The Latino Cancer Institute (TLCI) is a nationwide community and research network dedicated to solving the issues and burden of cancer in the Latino community. TLCI produced the Perez Sisters Video : A Latino Family’s BRCA Story.
Black Cancer Resources
AfroPink® is a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing awareness of detecting breast cancer early within the African-American community.
The Black Women's Health Imperative
BWHI is dedicated to health equity for all Black women & girls. They target the most pressing health issues that affect Black women and girls in the U.S. through investments in evidence-based strategies, bold programs, and advocacy outreach on health policies.
The Chrysalis Initiative exists to disrupt outcome disparities within breast cancer, so every patient receives the care they deserve. By providing patients with mentoring and resource navigation and equipping Black women (and other disparate groups) with the opportunity and education to assess their breast cancer risk, we are closing the gap one story at a time.