Beneath the Breast Campaign from Eisai and METAvivor Supports Relationship Challenges Commonly Faced by People Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer and their Loved Ones

WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J., Dec. 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Eisai Inc. and METAvivor today announced the launch of Beneath the Breast, a new initiative of the #ThisIsMBC campaign. Beneath the Breast spotlights imagery of eight people living with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) and their significant others to highlight the impact that MBC has had on themselves as well as their personal relationships. The campaign features stunning images and video content to spark and evoke emotion, promote open dialogue and public awareness, understanding and acceptance of MBC. The exhibit will be unveiled during the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) taking place December 10-14, 2019 at booth #327.

“MBC is not just a patient disease but a family disease,” said Halli Lannan, MBC patient, advocate and participant of Beneath the Breast. “My wife and I work every day to overcome the challenges we both experience individually and as a couple and hope to inspire others to do the same through the portraits and messages of this campaign.”

The project aims to encourage others living with MBC, their friends and loved ones, to share their individual experiences through creative expression on social media. Those living with MBC and those who support them can get involved by sharing a video about their personal story using #ThisIsMBC. Following SABCS, the exhibit will live exclusively on MBCInfoCenter.com where people can view the portraits, hear inspirational stories, find helpful resources and show support for those living with MBC.

“This campaign was created to explore the unique challenges ‘Beneath the Breast’ that couples face related to an MBC diagnosis such as communication, intimacy, family planning and change,” said Beth Fairchild, President of METAvivor. “Through this initiative, we hope to bring these couples closer together by offering an avenue to creatively express their feelings, feel less alone and inspire others.”

“As a company that is passionate about addressing the needs of the MBC community, we have created this year’s campaign to draw attention not only to the impact that MBC has on the patient but also on his or her own personal relationships,” said Teresa Cronin, Director of Corporate Advocacy at Eisai Inc. “This campaign is inspired by our human health care (hhc) mission through which we make every effort to connect patients and their partners in a meaningful way while raising awareness to the real-life experiences of people living with metastatic breast cancer.”

To learn more about #ThisIsMBC and this initiative and find helpful resources on metastatic breast cancer, please visit METAvivor.org or MBCInfoCenter.com.

To make a donation to MBC research and support those living with MBC, please visit METAvivor contributions. Each participant who donates $25 or more can receive a complimentary #ThisIsMBC Beneath the Breast note card set.

About Metastatic Breast Cancer
Metastatic breast cancer is an advanced stage of the disease that occurs when cancer spreads beyond the breast to other parts of the body. In 2019 an estimated 268,600 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States and an estimated 41,760 women will die from the disease. It is estimated that approximately 6 to 10 percent of women with breast cancer will have metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis. Women diagnosed with metastatic disease have an estimated 5-year relative survival rate of about 27%.

About METAvivor
METAvivor Research and Support Inc. is an Annapolis-based, 501(c)(3), volunteer-led, non-profit organization founded by metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients in 2009. The focus of the organization is to fund critical research that will lead to advances in treatment options, quality of life and survival for patients diagnosed with MBC. METAvivor is the only national organization with a peer-reviewed grant program aimed at exclusively funding MBC research, and 100% of all donations go to fund research. Since 2009, METAvivor awarded 68 research grants totaling $7.4 million.

METAvivor also raises awareness of MBC, provides support for people living with this disease, and offers opportunities for others to help make a difference for the metastatic community. METAvivor has gained a rapidly growing following within the breast cancer community, and has become a leader among breast cancer organizations.

Visit us at www.METAvivor.org, click here to support MBC-specific clinical research, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About Eisai Inc.
At Eisai Inc., human health care (hhc) is our goal. We give our first thoughts to patients and their families, and helping to increase the benefits health care provides. As the U.S. pharmaceutical subsidiary of Tokyo-based Eisai Co., Ltd., we have a passionate commitment to patient care that is the driving force behind our efforts to discover and develop innovative therapies to help address unmet medical needs.

Eisai is a fully integrated pharmaceutical business that operates in two global business groups: oncology and neurology (dementia-related diseases and neurodegenerative diseases). Our U.S. headquarters, commercial and clinical development organizations are located in New Jersey; our discovery labs are in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania; and our global demand chain organization resides in Maryland and North Carolina. To learn more about Eisai Inc., please visit us at www.eisai.com/US and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

For more information about Eisai, please visit www.eisai.com (for global), us.eisai.com (for U.S.) or www.eisai.eu (for Europe), and connect with us on Twitter (U.S. and global) and LinkedIn (for U.S.).

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SOURCE Eisai Inc.