History

HBCAC started 30 years ago, when Karen Miller was diagnosed with breast cancer and walked into a gym to find other women who wanted to change the paradigm of breast cancer. Since then, HBCAC has crafted it’s own story.

NYSCHECK

Environmental exposures can have lifelong impacts on children’s health and development. The mission of NYS CEHC (or “NYSCHECK”) is to prevent, diagnose, and treat environmentally related conditions for families across New York State. As the first state-based model for pediatric environmental health services in the country, New York now has dedicated pediatric champions across the state working together to protect and promote children’s health and the environment. HBCAC was a part of the foundations of the Network and continues to add community advocacy and insight on the Summer Academy Program.

L.E.A.P.

Standing for Lead, Endocrine Disruptors, Air Pollution, and Pesticides, the L.E.A.P. project was a children’s health campaign in partnership with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in which HBCAC worked with health professionals to create prevention materials geared toward children and their families. Products include a game board, fact sheets, and coloring books in English and Spanish packed in a campaign folder and tote bag.

Students and Scientists

The Students and Scientists Environmental Research Scholarship Program began in 2007. Initiated by Great Neck Breast Cancer Coalition, HBCAC’s program is a place for discovery, awareness and the exchange of ideas. Since it’s foundation, the program has become a multicomponent intervention to promote skillsets to ensure success in their chosen careers and become leaders for change in their communities.

Youth EH Literacy Campaign

Starting in 2015, HBCAC had led a peer to peer campaign where high school students enrolled in the internship program connect with 1,000 high school and middle school students in small group settings to encourage environmental health literacy and personal investment through engaging peer-to-peer lessons and workshops.

Legislation

HBCAC was involved in Suffolk County passing the The Safer Sales Slip Act, a first in the nation ban on receipts coated with the chemical Bisphenol A, BPA. Additionally, Steve Stern’s (D-Huntington) groundbreaking legislation to protect babies and toddlers from ingesting the synthetic estrogen Bisphenol-A (BPA), contained in hard plastics used in baby bottles and “sippy” cups designed for young children.

BCERP

The Breast Cancer and Environment Research Program (BCERP) includes researchers, community partners (CP), and community outreach translation core members (COTC) who are pursuing novel epidemiological, clinical, and population studies. Utilizing human and animal models, focusing on gene environment interactions and environmental influences contributing to breast cancer risk. Looking over the entire life span of an organism, the investigators will focus on various end points, or "Windows of Susceptibility." Investigators have partnered with breast cancer advocate(s) and members of the engaged community to facilitate the study design as well as translate and communicate findings back to the community, policy makers and other stakeholders. HBCAC was instrumental in bringing the face of youth to the national conferences for over ten years.

Survey Mapping

In 1993 HBCAC began to map the incidence of breast cancer in the Township of Huntington. Through a survey questionnaire sent out to over 68,000 households, a Geographic Information System (GIS) was developed to better understand breast cancer patterns. January 2001 with the help of over 300 volunteers this townwide mapping was completed. In Spring 2005, HBCAC published the BREAST CANCER PREVALENCE & GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SURVEY book based on 1993-1998 breast health survey results.

At-Risk Programing

Through partnerships with the Madonna Heights School for at-risk girls and Northshore Holiday House, HBCAC has developed programming for Long Island girls to gain knowledge and agency in environmental health science. Through 9 week programming at Madonna Heights, and peer-led workshops at Holiday House, hundreds of girls have invested in their health and made changes in their communities.