The Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition (PBCC) will award the funds obtained from donations made by taxpayers during their tax payments. In all, over three million were raised in their Refunds for Research campaign –an initiative enabling citizens of Pennsylvania to directly donate the money from tax refunds to this cause. 

Contributions that translate into over 80 grants with which researchers from Pennsylvania can continue their fight against breast cancer. Among them, two from Drexel University, Dr. Alessandro Fatitis and Dr. Mauricio Reginato, who will, respectively, receive $50,000 each to further their research studies. 

“My sister-in-law died from cancer at the age of 37, leaving two small children behind”, Dr. Reginato, one of the beneficiaries, explained. “As a cancer-fighting researcher, this is the kind of story we want to eliminate. This program not only contributes to the funding of cutting edge research, but also offers hope to those patients fighting against this terrible ailment”, he affirms.

“It is practically impossible for any Pennsylvanian not to have been affected by breast or cervical cancer in his/her family, workplace or society in general” acknowledged Dr. Fatitis, the other researcher awarded with this grant, who has also wanted to encourage citizens to collaborate in this fight. “In donating all or part of our tax returns we are invaluably contributing to the development of medical research, investing in more effective treatments and in this way contributing to building a better future for future generations”.