Founded:
1990

Key Staff:
Shelley Schwartz, Founding Chairman and President
Michael E. Scullin, CEO
Dennise Askins, Events Coordinator
Carolyn Hawk Horter, Associate

General Services:
Non-profit foundation and global think tank that serves as a catalyst to advance cancer research and treatment, through funding of research, development of young doctors, and establishing guidelines for treatment.

Overview:
Founded in 1990 by Dr. Gordon and Shelley Schwartz, the Breast Health Institute is a world-renowned breast cancer foundation and "Think Tank" acting as a catalyst to advance breast cancer research and treatment. The Institute has worked to bring together groups of the world's outstanding scientists in different disciplines and since 1997, these groups have formulated groundbreaking guidelines for research and treatment of breast cancer.

The Breast Health Institute has created a number of programs and events dedicated to reaching its goals. The BHI is dedicated to fostering the talents of a new generation of physicians through the Breast Cancer Fellowship program. To advance the scope of scientific research, BHI distributes crucial seed grants to pioneering doctors. Funds for these programs come from foundations, international corporations and our own fundraising events.

The Board of Directors of BHI organizes a Breast Cancer "Think Tank," a nucleus of the world's most esteemed breast cancer doctors, to select new or controversial issues in breast cancer research or patient care for discussion. Then, the leading breast cancer doctors in that particular topic are invited to a "Consensus Conference," a three-day seminar to identify and debate current information in order to formulate guidelines for breast cancer treatment.

Proceedings from the three Consensus Conferences were published in Cancer, one of the most esteemed cancer medical journals, as well as in two other peer-review medical journals concurrently-an extraordinary and significant achievement.
Annually, BHI chooses a physician trained in surgery (or other clinical specialty) and provides grant money for specialized research in the field of breast cancer. This
fellowship program equips each awarded fellow with the ability to provide superb and innovative care to his or her patients. The year 2003 will inaugurate the BHI fellowship, that will ultimately act as an international exchange program for physicians
completing their training.

BHI funds crusading researchers who may not usually be able to obtain grant monies for research without a prior "track record" of multiple publications. BHI provides seed money to these innovative scientists who find it difficult to find their first research dollars, regardless of their promise. Past grants have been awarded to institutions such as the Wistar Institute, Thomas Jefferson University and Hahnemann University Hospital.

The Breast Health Institute partners with various organizations throughout the year to raise funds and awareness. Since 1995, Breast Health Institute has aided activities in our home community, the Philadelphia area, through a partnership with Fashion Group International-Philadelphia. Together, BHI and FGI sponsor the "Give the Shirt Off Your Back - Fight Breast Cancer!" gala dinner-dance and auction.