Gilead Foundation has announced over $3 million in new grants to support people affected by metastatic breast cancer (mBC), addressing critical gaps in education, care delivery, and support services. This funding builds on more than $21 million committed since 2021 and aligns with Gilead Sciences’ broader mission to improve access to breast cancer education and care nationwide.
Metastatic breast cancer affects an estimated 168,000 people in the United States, and despite advances in treatment, the five-year relative survival rate remains only 29%. This underscores the urgent need for comprehensive education and integrated support to help patients navigate complex treatment decisions and improve overall outcomes.
The 2025 grants will fund 23 programs across the country led by 53 organizations. These initiatives aim to increase breast cancer awareness, provide emotional and mental health support, enhance health literacy, offer nutritional guidance, conduct community workshops, train providers in cross-cultural awareness, and help patients better understand their treatment options.
Anu Osinusi, Vice President at Gilead Sciences and Board Member of the Gilead Foundation, emphasized that the selected organizations demonstrated innovative, patient-centered approaches that create sustainable models for lasting impact. By fostering collaboration among multiple organizations, the Foundation seeks to strengthen care systems and improve the quality of care for patients and communities nationwide.
Local partners like the Charlotte Maxwell Clinic in Oakland highlighted how the funding enables expansion of wrap-around services and the development of coordinated care systems, supporting patients more comprehensively and ensuring sustainable impact beyond the grant period.
Research underscores the importance of navigation services, showing they shorten time to diagnosis and treatment, improve understanding of the disease, and increase the likelihood of completing treatment. Studies also link health literacy to better outcomes and highlight the need for tailored nutritional information to help women with mBC manage disease-related challenges.
