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MEXICO PARTNERSHIP
The Partnership for Breast Cancer Awareness and Research
of the Americas is an effort to build capacity in the Western
Hemisphere and work collectively in the areas of awareness,
research, training, community outreach, and women’s empowerment.
Mexico is one of three countries, along with Brazil and Costa
Rica, chosen to participate in the Partnership. The Partnership
is facilitated by the U.S. Department of State and unites
experts from the United States and Mexico in the fight against
breast cancer. Through this initiative, Susan G. Komen for
the Cure® and The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer
Center will join with the Asociación Mexicana
contra el Cáncer de Mama, A.C. (Fundación Cim*ab) and
Instituto Nacional de Cancerología (INCAN)
to increase research, training and community-outreach efforts.
These partners will work to equip the women of Mexico with
the knowledge and confidence they need to take charge of their
own health.
U.S. PARTNERS
Susan G. Komen for the Cure®
 Nancy
G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she
would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever.
In 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure®,
widely recognized as a leader in the global breast cancer
movement. Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s mission is advanced
by a network of well over one million breast survivors and
activists fighting to save lives, empower people, ensure quality
care for all and energize science to find the cures. Thanks
to events like the Komen Race for the Cure, we have invested
nearly $1 billion to fulfill our promise, becoming the largest
source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast
cancer in the world.
Participation
Susan G. Komen for The Cure shall assist in the development
of:
- A dynamic global network of dedicated breast cancer activists
- Training of trainer programs for breast cancer education
- Individual and organizational capacity strengthening
to launch culturally appropriate breast cancer education,
awareness and advocacy campaigns.
Institute of International
Education
 Founded
in 1919, the Institute of International Education (IIE) is
one of the world’s most experienced global higher education
and professional exchange organizations. IIE has long worked
to implement training programs, particularly through its close
relationships with universities, government agencies, and
NGOs dedicated to human capacity development. The Susan G.
Komen for the Cure Global Initiative for Breast Cancer Awareness
is designed and managed by the IIE’s San Francisco office.
The University of Texas M.D.
Anderson Cancer Center
 The
University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center is one of
the leading medical institutions for cancer care in the United
States. The Center was established in 1941 with the mission
to provide life-saving and life-changing care by focusing
on one major goal: to eliminate cancer. In achieving its goal,
The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center understood
that people are more than just cancer symptoms and that is
why the Center integrated all of its activities towards providing
compassion first—along with innovative cancer treatment, cutting-edge
cancer research, comprehensive education, and research-based
prevention of both common and rare cancers. The University
of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center has earned the gratitude
of countless adult and pediatric cancer patients and their
families for more than 60 years, and continues to do so.
Participation
Involvement by The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer
Center could include providing counsel on:
- Educational exchanges
- Distance Education
- Research and clinical care expertise
The U.S. Department of State
 The
U.S. Department of State, through the Bureau of Western Hemisphere
Affairs, is responsible for managing and promoting U.S. interests
in the region by supporting democracy, trade, and sustainable
economic development. We are working with our partners in
the Americas to generate broad-based growth through free trade
and sound economic policies; to invest in the well-being of
people from all walks of life; and to make democracy serve
every citizen more effectively and justly.
Participation
The Department of State’s Office of Public Diplomacy and
Public Affairs and the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs,
may:
- Provide support where possible for professional exchanges
for the overall
Partnership;
- Convene the partnership’s members to coordinate activities;
- Facilitate communication and enabling collaboration between
partners
throughout the partnership; and
- Work with partners to develop and implement activities
throughout the
Partnership.
MEXICO
PARTNERS
Fundación CIM*AB
 Fundación
Cim*ab, a non-profit, non-governmental organization,
was established in October 2002 after two young breast cancer
survivors (Alejandra de Cima and Bertha Aguilar) were determined
to make a difference in Mexico with this problem gravely afflicting
Mexican women. Fundación Cim*ab has as
its goal to attack the problem at its roots, which means focusing
on the lack of breast cancer information, through educational
campaigns on early detection methods which include: monthly
breast self-exams, yearly clinical breast exams, and annual
mammography screening starting at age 35. The organization’s
objectives are to offer information on breast cancer to Mexican
society, to establish a network of volunteers, to establish
strategic alliances, to provide emotional and psychological
support to women diagnosed with breast cancer and offer alternatives
for a better quality of life, to organize forums, talks and
orientation conferences and information for diverse audiences,
to offer economic support for chemotherapy treatment through
governmental institutes and organizations, and to link patients
with medical services at preferential costs.
Participation
- As lead partner in the public advocacy component of the
Partnership in Mexico during 2007-2008, the organization
will host the Country Program Manager and take a leadership
position in spearheading the Partnership;
- Lend its expertise and vision to the development of the
Partnership’s strategic goals and objectives in Mexico;
Institutio Nacional
de Cancerología (INCAN)
 The
Instituto Nacional de Cancerología is an
entity under the auspices of the Ministry of Health that was
established in 1946 by presidential decree. It is a center
of excellence in oncological research, instruction and medical
care. Its work is focused on providing care to uninsured patients
from throughout the country. Its institutional policy is to
provide services with efficiency, quality and warmth. As a
goverment body for oncology in Mexico, it is involved in the
training of highly-specialized personnel and conducting research
on the most common cancers afflicting the country. It participates
in the development of health policies related to cancer in
Mexico, where this disease is a public health problem.
Participation
- The Instituto Nacional de Cancerologia works in collaboration
with the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in the development
of research projects and in training personnel in breast
cancer.
STEERING COMMITTEES
The University of Texas M.D.
Anderson Cancer Center and the Instituto Nacional
de Cancerología (INCAN)
(Medical Steering Committee)
The Partnership for Breast Cancer Awareness and Research
of the Americas' Medical Steering Committee consists of physicians,
clinical and translational researchers, nurses and other health
care professionals from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson
Cancer Center and Instituto Nacional de Cancerología
(INCAN). Chaired by Dr. Ana Gonzalez-Angulo, a breast
medical oncologist from M. D. Anderson, the steering committee
will provide advice, guidance and oversight for the prioritization
and development of breast cancer research projects, academic
collaboration and grant procurement. The M.D. Anderson Cancer
Center members for the Mexico Medical Steering committee also
include Drs. Melissa Bondy, Aysegul Sahin, Vicente Valero,
Kendra Woods and Ms. Karen Francis. INCAN members for the
Medical Steering Committee include Drs. Alejandro Mohar, Abelardo
Meneses, Alfonso Dueñas, Eduardo Cervera, and Dr. Laura Suchil.
Participation
- Focus on projects expected to have a major impact on reducing
the burden of breast cancer in the Americas with a particular
emphasis on Mexico and the U.S.
- Select projects congruent with M.D Anderson's four mission
areas - research, education, prevention, and patient care.
Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Global Initiative for Breast Cancer Awareness in Mexico
(Advocacy Steering Committee)
Participation
- Provide expertise, vision and guidance to the Partnership
- Assist in the development of the strategic goals and in
identifying and recommending organizations which will be
key players in the fight against breast cancer to participate
in the Course for the Cure®
- Conduct outreach activities on behalf of the Partnership
Instituto Jalisciense
de las Mujeres (Local partner in Guadalajara)
 The
Instituto Jalisciense de las Mujeres (IJM), was created
on March 1, 2002 as a legally-constituted, decentralized public
organization with its own patrimony. It is charged with designing,
promoting and evaluating public policies which encourage equality
between men and women, on behalf of the government of the
State of Jalisco, operating under the guiding principles of
service, equity and excellence. The IJM, working with the
Ministry of Health, has concentrated on creating breast cancer
awareness among women through offering free mammogram units
in the different municipalities of Jalisco, as well as through
television spots, radio programs, and informative early detection
brochures. It also has trained the Health Sector through gender
and domestic violence workshops. In Jalisco, 400 women die
from breast cancer each year. According to the Ministry of
Health, there are 900,000 women in the state who have never
had an exam, due to either modesty, lack of information or
lack of economic resources.
Asociación Mexicana
de Lucha contra el Cáncer
 The
Mexican Association Against Cancer – AMLCC – began as a Ministry
of Health initiative and was established in 1972 as a non-governmental,
non-profit organization, made up of a Board of Directors truly
interested in benefiting the Mexican population. Since its
inception, the AMLCC has served as a link between the private
and public sectors, supporting the Ministry of Health’s preventative
and early detection programs carried out within its different
medical facilities. One of our main concerns is to fulfill
our mission statement, which is to make society aware of the
paramount need for prevention and early detection, as per
to our philosophy “when detected early, cancer is curable”.
Our vision is to become the nationwide NGO that contributes
significantly to the decrease of morbidity and mortality cancer
rates among the Mexican population, and which fosters the
union and collaboration of all NGOs involved in this issue.
Cimas, A.C. Centro
Interdisciplinario de Mujeres en Atención a la Salud
 CIMAS,
A.C. Centro Interdisciplinario de Mujeres en Atención a la
Salud was founded in Mexico City in 1999 by socially-aware
women. The center provides quality medical services in the
diverse aspects of preventative healthcare for women, primarily
in the early detection of uterine and breast cancer, sexual
and reproductive health, sexually-transmitted diseases, and
menopausal care. In CIMAS, we are interested in women taking
an active, responsible and leading role in their healthcare,
through the knowledge and application of their rights.
Mastológica
Lomas
 Established
in January 2004 by specialists with vast experience in the
management of breast cancer, Mastológica Lomas,
the Center for Breast Studies is unique in Mexico. The Center’s
priority is assembling a multidisciplinary group of certified
specialists (Surgical Oncologists, Imaging specialists, Medical
Oncologists, Nutrition, Physicial Rehabilitation, Psycho-Oncologists),
for an accurate and timely diagnosis, and appropriate therapy
(according to international protocols and local regulations),
all within a single facility and under the supervision of
its founders. FDA approved and supervised research protocols
take place, as well as participation by support groups such
as Pro-Salud Mamaria (Breast Health Group
– PROSAMA) and Fundación Cim*ab.
Grupo Pro Salud
Mamaria, A.C. (Prosama)
 Grupo
Pro Salud Mamaria, A.C. (PROSAMA) Breast Health Group
was established by Executive Director Mari Carmen Forgach
Marcor in May 2003. PROSAMA's mission is to provide breast
cancer education directly to women, increasing knowledge about
breast cancer and the importance of its detection. PROSAMA
has an educational program for women of all cultural groups
and ages which distributes information in public schools for
parents, to high school students, in cultural centers, clubs,
universities, churches, international companies, and governmental
agencies dedicated to the care of women and children. Through
the participation of its Executive Director, as a member of
the Board of Directors and as the International Relations
Representative of the Mexican Association of Breast Diseases
(AMM), PROSAMA has been involved in the organization and coordination
of its National and International Multidisciplinary Congresses
and Specialty Courses, (Mammography, Pathology, Reconstructive
Surgery, Advocacy Groups), which contribute greatly to medical
education in Mexico, aiming to ensure all 14,000,000 at-risk
women receive adequate breast care and treatment. The group
is run by a Board of Directors, a Multidisciplinary Medical
Council and a prominent group of volunteers.
FUNSALUD, Fundación
Mexicana para la Salud, A.C.
 The
Mexican Health Foundation (FUNSALUD), a privately owned institution
dedicated to serving the community at large, is an autonomous,
non-profit civil association listed in the National Registry
of Scientific and Technological Institutions of the National
Council for Science and Technology (CONACYT). It is also recognized
by the Finance Ministry as a recipient for donations and is
authorized to expend tax-deductible receipts for any contribution
or grant it receives. Its mission is to contribute towards
scientific and technological knowledge and to the study of
health policies by promoting research and the development
of highly-qualified human resources and technological development.
Furthermore, it is able to identify and distinguish health
problems and generate specific projects towards their solution.
Centro Nacional
de Equidad de Género y Salud Reproductiva, Secretaría de Salud
 Centro
Nacional de Equidad de Genero y Salud Reproductiva (National
Gender Equity and Reproductive Health Center) is a decentralized
entity of the Ministry of Health, dependant on the Under Ministry,
for the Prevention (of disease) and Promotion of Health. As
the governing body for the National Health System Institutions,
its mission is to work to improve the population’s health
by including specific gender perspectives and overall sexual
and reproductive health such as: family planning; cervical
uterine cancer; breast cancer; maternal infant care; perinatal
health; and attention to sexual domestic violence and all
violence against women. Its vision is to be a technically
advanced and professionally competent national (and internationally
recognized) organization of reference in the above areas,
founded on scientific evidence, best practices and the population’s
health needs. A humanitarian organization committed to offering
solutions and innovative capacity, the Center includes and
is open to the participation of civil society. The women’s
cancer center, which oversees the breast cancer center, is
responsible for policies related to the promotion of health,
screening, diagnosis, treatment, control and epidemiological
monitoring of breast cancer.
Grupo de Recuperación
Total Reto, A.C. (Grupo Reto)
 Grupo
Reto is a pioneering organization, dedicated to promoting
women’s integral health in the area of breast cancer. It aims
to help women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer achieve
their physical and emotional recuperation so that they can
be reincorporated into their normal active social and family
lives as quickly as possible. Grupo Reto
also aims to raise women’s self-esteem and help them maintain
their dignity. In addition to a Diagnostic Center and patient
assistance modules in nine hospitals in Mexico City, the organization
has 24 offices throughout Mexico. Grupo Reto,
a civil organization founded 25 years ago by Cecilia Vildosola
de Sepulveda, also offers educational programs in hospitals,
schools and health centers.
Antiguo Hospital
Civil de Guadalajara “Fray Antonio Alcalde”
 Breast
cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among
women nationally, and the leading cause in the state of Jalisco.
Currently, 75% of the patients at the time of diagnosis of
breast cancer are in Stage III. Realizing the impact these
statistics have on the population, and with the objective
of inverting this percentage to that of breast cancer at Stage
1, the breast clinic offers highly specialized consultations
by trained breast health personnel to all patients the first
time they arrive, so as to reduce diagnosis time and treatment
time for the disease. The clinic also distributes brochures
highlighting the importance of breast self exams and the use
of mammography and breast ultrasounds to increase awareness
in breast cancer detection. Together with our radiology services,
minimum invasion (Stereotaxic biopsy) procedures are conducted
in order to reduce the number of surgeries and avoid complications
that may go along with them and reduce the costs for unnecessary
procedures. Complementary tests are conducted (digital mammography,
magnification cones) to give a reliable diagnosis. Our expectations
include: increasing awareness of the importance of breast
self examinations, periodic exams by medical specialists and
the use of quality mammography and ultrasound machines; educating
the public hospital institutions on the three levels of care
so they know the options they have for making a timely reference
and improving the treatment of patients requiring those services.
Programa de Salud
de la Mujer, Secretaría de Salud Nuevo León
 The
mission of the Secretaría de Salud of Nuevo
León is to improve the quality of life for the residents
of the state of Nuevo León, with health
as the principal vehicle for their physical, psychological
and social development. This is achieved through joint efforts
between the public and private institutions. The mission of
the Secretaría in 2009 is to be recognized
by society, other federal entities and international organizations
as the new model for managing health in Latin America, offering
a rapid and effective response to the basic and emergent needs
of the population of Nuevo León. Through
greater responsibility, transparency, respect and equality,
the aim is to reduce the rates of mortality-morbidity.
Dr. José Luis
Guzmán Murguía, Centro Para el Cuidado de la Mama, Hospital
CIMA Santa Engracia
 The
Centro para el Cuidado de la Mama (Center
for Breast Health) was established in 2001 after detecting
the great need in our community and country for a center specializing
in breast cancer. We gathered breast health experts from the
different specialties in order to create a comprehensive center,
which brings together all the international demands for screening,
treatment and follow up. We are a non-governmental, not for
profit institution, that coexists within the CIMA
Santa Engracia Hospital. We have affiliations with different
non-profit organizations, especially Fundación
Cim*ab. We are a center of excellence in breast-related
illnesses, treating more than 300 patients, and performing
more than 400 mammograms monthly, participating in national
and international research protocols, fostering innovation
and conducting research. We practice multidisciplinary medicine
by consensus. Patient treatment decisions are made during
a weekly medical session where the entire medical group offers
their different points of view and arrives at a decision for
patient treatment. We have a patient support group, volunteers
and a very interesting community reintegration program directed
by our psycho-oncologists.
American Cancer Society
 The
American Cancer Society’s Latin America Program is based on
93 years of cancer control experience. The goal is to increase
civil society engagement by providing training, technical
assistance, funding and institutional capacity building in
cancer control advocacy, policy planning, tobacco control,
and NGO management. All of the American Cancer Society programs
are founded on a combination of evidence based interventions,
up-to-date Latin American market information and local on-ground-
presence in six Latin American countries. The American Cancer
Society works with key medical, nongovernmental organization
(NGOs) and government leaders in Latin America to improve
cancer control policies and empower patients and families.
By actively engaging the media around the need to give a human
face to the disease, the American Cancer Society programs
work to decrease the stigma of cancer diagnosis, giving hope
to cancer patients with the ultimate goal of turning cancer
survivors into advocates for policy change related to prevention,
detection, quality of life and treatment of cancer. In Mexico,
the American Cancer Society will continue funding breast cancer
awareness grants with Mexican NGOs; provide technical assistance
to NGOs working in breast cancer; support efforts to increase
the profile of breast cancer survivors, and provide technical
support for breast cancer screening initiatives.
MEXFAM, Fundación
Mexicana Para la Planificación Familiar
 MEXFAM,
the Mexican Family Planning Foundation, is a civil non-profit,
non-governmental and non-religious Mexican organization created
in 1965, the only Mexican International Planned Parenthood
Federation affiliate. Its mission is “to provide quality and
avant-garde services in family planning, sexual and reproductive
health and education, principally targeting the most vulnerable
populations in Mexico: the young and the poor, both in the
urban and rural areas.” The programs of MEXFAM, which is governed
by volunteers and guided by a select group of talented professionals,
have significantly transformed the structure of the Mexican
population and successfully introduced integrated medical
and essential services with an emphasis on sexual and reproductive
health to most of Mexico’s underserved populations. In compliance
with national laws, MEXFAM’s programs and strategies focus
on promoting equitable access to high quality care. Special
importance is given to fulfilling international commitments
to increase access to maternal and child services. During
2006, MEXFAM provided 74,632 services for women related to
prenatal control and obstetric care, childbirth, puerperal
care and gynecology. It provided 78,158 services for children
under 5 in the form of vaccinations, neonatal sieve, and child
development follow up. These services represent 4.9% of the
total maternal and child health services provided by the biggest
public institutions in Mexico.
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