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ABOUT US

Our Mission

To help find a cure for breast cancer by funding promising breast cancer research in Alabama and to raise community awareness and funding for that research.

ABOUT

OUR STORY

The Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama

In December of 1995, the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB introduced two people who had a shared experience with breast cancer. Dolly O’Neal, an 18-month breast cancer survivor, was one of those people. The other was Bruce Sokol, whose wife D.D. was undergoing breast cancer treatment at the time. Both shared a fervent desire to do something to fight this disease.

The following year, they founded the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama.

Today, we continue to uphold their work as we partner with Alabamians across the state to fundraise for research. Through individual donations, corporate partnerships, and special events, we have contributed over $16 million to local, lifesaving research since our founding.

As we continue the fight against breast cancer and bring hope to everyone affected by breast cancer, we always operate with our mission in mind.

GET INVOLVED
BCRFA co-founders Bruce Sokol and Dolly O'Neal

IMPACT NUMBERS

1 in 8 women are diagnosed with breast cancer

1 in 833 men are diagnosed with breast cancer

Over $16 million invested in Alabama-based research since 1996

93% of every donation supports our mission

IMPACT NUMBERS

1 in 8 women are diagnosed with breast cancer

1 in 833 men are diagnosed with breast cancer

Over $16 million invested in Alabama-based research since 1996

93% of every donation supports our mission

OUR RESEARCH

What Are Our Goals? 

Receive sought-after and sustaining grant dollars

Recruit and retain world-class breast cancer researchers

Seize every opportunity for groundbreaking discovery

OUR LEADERSHIP

We are passionate about raising funds and awareness to Fuel Advances in breast cancer treatment.

Staff

Beth Davis
President & CEO
[email protected]

Rachel Beatty
Marketing and Communications Coordinator
[email protected]

Brandy Key
Events Coordinator
[email protected]

Sonja Jordan
Administrative Assistant
[email protected]

2025 Board of Directors

Gloria Buie
Chair

Camper O’Neal
Vice Chair

Steven Elseroad
Treasurer

Denise Bryant
Secretary

Kathy Baggio

Hope B. Bosworth

Meredith Carpenter

Jill N. Carter

Diane Dudney 

Dr. Anjanetta Foster 

Nancy C. Goedecke

Brian Grainger 

Rosalind B. Griffin

Laura Hinton

Sri Karra

Kate Kiefer

Kate Damrich Lloyd

William Lynch 

Dianne Mooney

Carol Myers

Kathy Paiml

Greg Schumann

Renee Steed

Ramie Wesley

Emily White 

2025 Advisory Committee

Celya Caston

Kate Darden

James L. Dye

Shane Hill 

Gary Johnson 

Melinda Mathews

Ginger Milam

Carol Sue Mitchell 

Mauricio Papapietro

Wendy Paschal

Phil Passafiume 

Ryan Ramage 

Dr. Caroline Reich

George Shaw

George Thompson 

Jean C. Thompson

Mary Welden

Medical Advisory Council

Deepa Bedi, M.D., Ph.D.
Tuskegee University (Tuskegee, AL)
Associate Professor, Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine

Rebecca J. Boohaker, Ph.D.
Southern Research (Birmingham, AL)
Associate Fellow, Oncology

Karim Budhwani, PhD
CerFlux (Birmingham, AL)
CEO-Scientist

Sara Cooper, Ph.D.
HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology (Huntsville, AL)
Faculty Investigator

Manoj K. Mishra, Ph.D.
Alabama State University (Montgomery, AL)
Professor and Director, Cancer Biology Research and Training Program

Omar Moukha-Chafiq, Ph.D.
Southern Research (Birmingham, AL)
Principal Scientist

Shreyas S. Rao, Ph.D.
University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa, AL)
Associate Professor, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering

Bin Ren, M.D., Ph.D., FAHA
University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) (Birmingham, AL)
William D. Jordan, Jr. M.D., Endowed Professor in Vascular Sciences in the Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Heersink School of Medicine.

Gabrielle Rocque, M.D., MSPH
University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) (Birmingham, AL)
Associate Professor of Medicine in the Divisions of Hematology & Oncology and Gerontology, Geriatrics, & Palliative Care

Chandrani Sarkar, Ph.D.
Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama (Mobile, AL)
Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology/ Mitchell Cancer Institute.

Bruce F. Smith V.M.D., Ph.D.
Auburn University (Auburn, AL)
Director, Auburn University Research Initiative in Cancer
Professor of Pathobiology

2025 Junior Board

Megan Carter
President

Amy Stevens
Emeritus Board Member

Lexie Appleby

Morgan Carter

Marie Ehrhardt

Rebecca Johnson

Carolyne Kontomitras

Chelsea Morton

Erica Mitchell

Micah Myricks

Madeline Patterson

Kayla Perlstein

Ellie Priester

Whitney Salts

Hannah Sanford

Baret Steed 

Lauren Tovar

FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS

IRS Form 990

2022

2021

Audited Financials

2022

2021

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