News
The Office of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) was created in 1992 from a powerful grassroots effort led by the breast cancer advocacy community that resulted in a congressional appropriation of funds for breast cancer research. Funds for the CDMRP are added to the Department of Defense (DoD) budget, in which support for individual programs, such as the Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP), is allocated via specific guidance from Congress.Consumer advocates participate in designing the BCRP’s priorities and funding opportunities.
Upcoming Events
Survivors On Purpose, Inc. meetings are Virtual via Zoom. In person meetings are coming soon. For future updates and to be added to the mailing list, contact us at
and leave your email address.
We are all in this together.
April 28, 2022
May 26, 2022
June 23, 2022
Be on the look-out for new activities:
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Pot Luck
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Tai Chi
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Plant Based Nutrition
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Art Project
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Movie Night with a Popcorn Bar
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Chef Jorge “Healthy Cooking Demo”
Consumer advocates participate as equal voting members in making funding recommendations during programmatic review. Consumer advocates participate as equal voting members in scientific peer review panels.More than 3,500 scientists and 730 consumers have contributed their expertise to the BCRP two-tier review process.
Read the advocates' stories below.
DoD Experience - Jacqui Harris
DoD Experience - D. Hodge
DoD Experience - Schawanda Henderson
DoD Experience - Shayla Lee
DoD Experience - Latrice Collins
DoD Experience – Arlene Smith-Joyner
In the Community
Click here to see the photos from the Annual Conference for Young Breast Cancer
Survivors Spotlight
My name is Marsha Johnson and I was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 42 in 2005. My diagnosis was Stage 2, Triple Negative breast cancer. I knew the importance of breast exams and mammograms, but never gave it much thought since I was not near the recommended age of 50 to start. I had every intention, just never made it around to begin even thinking about scheduling a mammogram. By accident, I ran across a pea like lump in my left breast upper chest wall. Quickly, a fear of the possibility set in [CANCER!] and without hesitation, I immediately scheduled a doctor’s appointment. I was confused of the possibility of having cancer, because cancer of any type was never mentioned as running in our family. I would be the first.
Relay for Life Interview with Susan Kamyab, Entertainment Reporter, Irving Community Television. Visit the photo gallery here.
How could this be? “Wow, I was not a grandmother” my first thought at that time. This news came not only as an unexpected shocker, but a very, very depressing one. It was no doubt in my mind; I just knew this was indeed the beginning of my end. For a while I did go through the "Why Me?" phase.
Prior to this devastating news my life was already in turmoil coping with a combination of marriage, family and career challenges. So you want to talk about the grand finale, the icing on the cake, yes ‘This Was It!’ but in reverse reaction one would imagine. I was truly at a lost and I thought for certain that there was no light at the end of this tunnel. By now, my action plan for life was, it really didn’t matter. But you know, as time passed after treatment rounds of chemo, loss of hair, early menopause, hot flashes, a mastectomy, reconstructive surgery, aches and pains and see saw ranges of emotions I found myself surrounded by a new circle of people just like me and could relate to what I was dealing with. It all started with a
Support Group which we fed off of each other’s inner strength of courage and hope. To fight against this war on cancer, one must remain hopeful as well as active. With emphasis on the word ATTITUDE, I felt I needed an attitude adjustment. I became proactive and took back the life I once had before any of the troubles began. Dancing and runway modeling was the therapy ticket to my healing process. Overcome with the spirit to live again and celebrating each day as a survivor in 2005 I founded Fashions For The Cure. This non-profit organization consists of cancer survivors of all types who come together annually to celebrate their survivorship at a dinner gala which consists of health education, a runway fashion show and entertainment. Its mission is to make aware and spread to the communities the importance of early detection of cancer and how it can prolong or perhaps save lives.
You can read more about Fashions for The Cure and the entire participating Survivors at www.fashionsforthecure.org
Marsha Johnson
