The nation's largest breast cancer coalition is conducting a special six-day training program in San Diego this week. Dozens of breast cancer survivors and health care advocates will be taking part in what's called Project LEAD. KPBS Reporter Kenny Goldberg has the story.
The six-day program gives participants a crash course in the language and concepts of cancer and research design.
Fran Visco is president of the National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund . She says Project LEAD prepares advocates to help change the way breast cancer research is done.
Visco: Our work has made new therapies available to women years sooner than they would have been, because we're working with scientists to design research. We sit at the table and we help figure out how research funding should be distributed.
Project LEAD has trained more than 1,200 people since 1995. Visco says many of these advocates work with scientists to help design clinical trials.
Kenny Goldberg, KPBS News.
