The Breast Cancer Research Foundation® was founded in 1993 by Evelyn H. Lauder as an independent, not-for-profit 501(c) (3) organization dedicated to funding innovative clinical and genetic research. Since its inception, the Foundation has raised over $180 million - nearly $35 million in fiscal year 2007 alone - to support clinical and genetic research at top universities and academic medical centers worldwide conducting the most advanced and promising breast cancer research that will lead to prevention and a cure in our lifetime. In October 2007, $32 million will be awarded to more than 150 researchers across the United States and in Canada, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.

The Foundation's support for promising yet untried ideas is crucial at this time of reduced federal research funding, when only 6% to 8% of meritorious, peer-reviewed proposals are being approved for grants by the National Institutes of Health. BCRF endorses the men and women who are developing the most innovative ideas in medical research. For example, in December, at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, the BCRF-funded Women's Intervention Nutrition Study (WINS) results were presented to more than 8,000 attendees. WINS, which received multi-year support from BCRF, was recognized as the first large-scale randomized trial to show that a low fat diet can improve breast cancer outcomes in women who are receiving conventional treatment for early-stage breast cancer.

BCRF perseveres in directing at least 85 cents of every dollar raised directly to research and awareness programs. In 2007, the Foundation's administrative costs were once again less than 10% of revenues. And for the sixth consecutive year, BCRF received Charity Navigator's highest rating, four stars, thus outperforming 99% of more than 5,000 evaluated charities. In addition, the Foundation received an "A" rating from the American Institute of Philanthropy and was named one of America's top eight charities by Money magazine. Visit www.bcrfcure.org or call 1.866.FIND.A.CURE for more information.