The ShareForCures Alliance
Breast cancer research is evolving every day, driven by the power of real-world data and the individuals who choose to share theirs. Susan G. Komen’s ShareForCures is a revolutionary research registry where those who have or had breast cancer can submit their health data to scientists working to find cures faster.
But breakthroughs are only possible when research reflects the full spectrum of those affected by breast cancer. That’s where the ShareForCures Alliance comes in — a collaboration of organizations that ensures more voices are heard, more data is represented and more individuals can learn about the power of ShareForCures.
PAF: Where It All Began…
Founded in 1996, PAF is a national nonprofit dedicated to helping people with chronic, life-threatening and debilitating diseases access care and maintain financial stability.
At its core, PAF works one-on-one with patients, caregivers and providers to remove barriers that stand between individuals and the care they need. Through personalized case management, trained advocates help patients navigate insurance challenges, resolve medical debt issues and secure access to recommended treatments.
Easing the Burden
With May being Mental Health Awareness Month, there is no better time to focus on how ShareForCures Alliance partners like PAF can help ease some of the stress that comes with a diagnosis. Even with insurance, out-of-pocket costs can quickly add up, creating anxiety that affects both patients and their families.
PAF offers several programs designed to ease that burden, including:
- Co-Pay Relief Program
- Financial Aid Funds
- Insurance and Access Support
By helping to remove financial barriers and simplify complex health care? systems, PAF allows patients to focus more fully on their care. And that relief can have a meaningful impact on mental well-being.
At the same time, another powerful way to ease the emotional weight of a diagnosis is through purpose. Research shows that giving back can improve mental health, with studies finding that people who engage in acts of generosity often experience lower stress levels and a greater sense of meaning and connection.
That is where ShareForCures comes into play.
By joining the ShareForCures research registry, individuals who have or had breast cancer can contribute their health data to help researchers better understand the disease and accelerate the development of new treatments. It is a simple yet powerful way to turn a personal experience into something that can help others, now and in the future.
For many, that sense of contribution can be empowering. It offers a way to take an active role in advancing research while helping ensure that future patients face fewer unknowns and, ultimately, better outcomes.
A Shared Commitment
At Komen, we understand that advancing health outcomes means supporting the whole person. Access to care, financial stability and emotional well-being are deeply connected, and organizations like PAF, alongside initiatives like ShareForCures, help strengthen that support system for patients and caregivers alike.
During Mental Health Awareness Month, it is a reminder that behind every diagnosis is a person navigating not just treatment, but the weight of it all. Support can come in many forms, from reducing the financial toxicity of care to finding meaning in helping others through research.
Through PAF, patients can find relief from the practical burdens of care. Through ShareForCures, they can transform their experience into progress, contributing to discoveries that may change the future of breast cancer.
Together, these efforts are connected by something powerful: the ability to ease today’s burdens while building a better tomorrow.
