Our Story
Finding a cure for breast cancer
is impossible without research
Carol M. Baldwin won her own struggle with breast cancer, which was diagnosed in 1990 and nearly took her life. After undergoing a double mastectomy, she decided to help other women overcome breast cancer. In 1996, she founded her own breast cancer-fighting enterprise, the Carol M. Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund. In 2001, Carol M. Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund of CNY was established.
Efforts include, but are not limited to: studies of the genetic, molecular, cellular and environmental factors involved in the development and progression of breast cancer; education of medical professionals and the general public; and studies of the outcomes of detection and treatment on the patient,
families and society.
The National Cancer Institute estimates that one out of eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Breast cancer incidence and death rates generally increase with age, with the majority of new cases and breast cancer deaths occurring in women age 40 and older. The Baldwin Fund encourages women to adopt the life-saving practices of regular self-examinations, clinical breast exams and mammograms.
Since 2001, The Baldwin Fund has provided more than 60 grants to support research programs led by 45 primary investigators at Upstate Medical University.
These grants have acted as “seed investments”, giving scientists and doctors the opportunity to show ideas that have promise for improving outcomes for those with breast cancer.
To date, Baldwin support for cancer research at Upstate has spurred nearly $24 million in additional grant funding. That’s a return on investment of more than 600 percent.
The Baldwin Fund sponsors two annual endowed lectureships focused on breast cancer developments. It awards multiple $50,000 grants each year to investigators conducting breast cancer research at SUNY Upstate Medical University and Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse, NY.