Each October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month offers a moment to reflect on progress and recommit to advancing cancer research and care. Here in the Pacific Northwest, we are fortunate to live in a region that is driving and defining the future of cancer innovation. The Kuni Foundation is honored to partner with world-class cancer researchers in Washington and Oregon, supporting work that is changing lives locally and making an impact around the globe.
According to the National Cancer Institute, about 38.9% of people in the United States will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives. While overall cancer rates in Washington and Oregon are lower than the national average, both states have higher rates of female breast cancer compared to the rest of the country. This reality underscores the importance of continued investment in research, early detection, and innovative treatments.
The future of cancer treatment and prevention is both exciting and complex. Federal funding—critical to advancing research—faces uncertainty amid today’s political climate. Yet this investment fuels breakthroughs that benefit millions of patients and families locally, nationally and globally.
The Kuni Foundation is proud to support dozens of both established and emerging researchers who are redefining what’s possible in cancer research. Across institutions such as the Cancer Vaccine Institute at the University of Washington and Fred Hutch Cancer Center; Oregon Health & Science University and the Knight Cancer Institute; Swedish Cancer Institute; and Providence Cancer Institute of Oregon, innovative work is advancing immunotherapies, early detection methods, and even vaccines designed to prevent cancer from developing in the first place. These are just a few of the outstanding, local cancer research leaders in our region.
To sustain this momentum, we must continue supporting the world-class research happening in our own backyard. By investing in promising local research, we ensure that the Pacific Northwest remains a leader in cancer research and care—even as federal funding landscapes shift.
During this Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we express deep gratitude to the researchers, providers, patients and advocates who make progress possible every day. Their vision and dedication are helping create a future where more cancers are detected early, treated effectively and, one day, prevented entirely. Health experts recommend that breast cancer screenings for all women begin at age 40 and continue every other year through age 74. Despite medical advances in detection and treatment, breast cancer rates continue to rise—by 1% annually among women age 50 and older, and by 1.4% annually among women younger than 50, between 2012 to 2021. If you’re due for a screening, now is the time to schedule it. Early detection saves lives.
