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National Breast Center Foundation

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Credit Delia Sullivan Photos

Alexandria, VA – Since Breast 2015, the National Breast Center Foundation (NBCFoundation) has been dedicated to removing barriers to breast health care for uninsured and underinsured women in underserved communities. Based in Alexandria, NBCFoundation provides free screenings, education, early diagnosis, and patient navigation for women who lack access to care.

The need for these services is urgent. The incidence of breast cancer in Alexandria is higher than the state average, with an age-adjusted rate of 5.0 cases per 100,000 women compared to Virginia’s rate of 3.4. Additionally, mortality rates in the state exceed the national average, disproportionately affecting African American women and those facing health inequities. Too many local women receive diagnoses at later stages, when survival rates are significantly lower.

Despite operating with only two full-time staff members, NBCFoundation has made a substantial impact through volunteers and community partners. In the past year, NBCFoundation facilitated hundreds of screenings, identified early-stage cancers, and ensured ongoing treatment for low-income patients.

NBCFoundation promotes awareness and community solidarity through events like the Walk to Bust Cancer and the Angel Wing Challenge, which bring together survivors, families, and supporters while raising critical funds.

Partnerships with organizations like Nueva Vida enable culturally tailored outreach to Alexandria’s Latina community, while collaborations with the Hearts of Love Foundation, the Brem Foundation, and the Donna M. Saunders Foundation strengthen the overall network of care. The organization works with the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce to expand connections with businesses and civic leaders.

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National Breast Center Foundation Executive Director Martha Carucci (Credit Delia Sullivan Photos)

“Our goal is simple,” said Martha Carucci, NBCFoundation Executive Director. “Every woman deserves the chance to detect cancer early, receive treatment, and live a healthier life. That drives our mission.”

Get In Touch

National Breast Center Foundation

277 South Washington St., Ste. 210

Alexandria, VA 22314

(c) 202-309-4026

Connect with NBCFoundation online at nationalbreastcenterfoundation.org/ or email [email protected]

Lisa-Helene Lawson

Lisa-Helene Lawson was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. She grew up loving reading and newspapers. At an early age, she often tagged along with her dad, Baseball Hall of Fame Sportswriter, Earl Lawson, as he wrote a daily column for the Cincinnati Post and Time Star. She studied at Northwestern, lived and worked in the Middle East for 12 years and spent 3 decades in LA and Sacramento working in government before heading to Alexandria in 2017. Her opeds on several public policy issues have appeared in several newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times, Orange County Register, Baltimore Sun . She is a Certified Master Gardener, a Friends of Duncan Library Board Member, and has tutored for several years first graders for the Alexandria Tutoring Consortium.

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