Fight Breast Cancer With the Gene Machine

Your gift this year will help us keep this big pink bus rolling toward more knowledge and a better understanding of what puts people at risk. Your gift is a step forward in the fight to help sisters, daughters, wives, moms, and friends from falling victim to breast cancer. You might even save a life.

Last year, Tiger Giving Day introduced you to Nancy Merner, Betsy Stallworth, and The Gene Machine, a big pink bus that travels throughout Alabama, reaching out to individuals and family members whose loved ones have been affected by breast cancer. The idea behind The Gene Machine is simple — when it comes to breast cancer, genetic testing saves lives.  

The Gene Machine is part of a research project that seeks to find out which genes may be linked to increased incidences of developing breast cancer. This information can save lives and is sadly lacking for women who are not of European descent. For those enrolling in the study, Auburn has connected with genetic counselors at UAB who can help make sense of the information that comes out of the genetic research screening. 

This year, we have ambitious goals. We want to double our enrollment numbers from last year. To date, the Gene Machine has enrolled individuals from 27 of the 67 Alabama counties. You can help expand our efforts to areas not yet reached. By doing this, we will continue to provide genetic screening and counseling to Alabamians.

Thanks to your previous support, we traveled more than 4,660 miles of Alabama’s highways last year and met thousands of people at community events, cancer walks, health fairs, and cancer luncheons. The Gene Machine transported the DNA of more than 80 new study participants and was even a part of two parades.

We traveled throughout the state to help educate communities about cancer risk factors by connections made through our community partners and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Your gifts provided BRCA1 and 2 gene screening of 114 study participants and helped provide the opportunity for 16 study participants with a breast cancer mutation to receive free genetic counseling.

Together, we can help The Gene Machine inspire, innovate, and transform.