# Where is my Breast Cancer dollar best spent?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-my-breast-cancer-dollar-best-spent/465768
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [September 29, 2008, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-my-breast-cancer-dollar-best-spent/465768 "2008-09-29T22:13:48Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Hedda\_Rosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hedda_Rosa)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2008, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-my-breast-cancer-dollar-best-spent/465768/1 "2008-09-29T22:13:48Z")
I’m intending to donate some money for Breast Cancer awareness month. Where is my $1000 best spent - Susan G Komen? American Cancer society? What organization is doing the best most reputable work in this area?
Thanks
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### Author:  [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2008, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-my-breast-cancer-dollar-best-spent/465768/2 "2008-09-29T22:21:08Z")
May not be exactly what you’re looking for, but there is a website that has a ton of information on breast health including breast cancer, support, early detection, and breast reconstruction. It is one of the best sites out there for breast reduction, that I know. I recommend it for breast cancer awareness and support based on my experience with them regarding reduction. It is comprehensive and professional.
www.breasthealthonline.com
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### Author:  [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2008, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-my-breast-cancer-dollar-best-spent/465768/3 "2008-09-29T23:31:32Z")
The link in my sig provides free mammograms to women. Clicking is free, but they have neat stuff you can buy too.
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### Author:  [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2008, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-my-breast-cancer-dollar-best-spent/465768/4 "2008-09-29T23:40:18Z")
It depends on what you want to spend your money on.
Some charities provide support to women and men with breast cancer, some provide grants for clinical or lab research and other do research directly (either through sponsoring labs/clinical posts or having their own labs).
I work for two organisations that do all three between them for all cancers, various research groups within the institutions have various charitable sponsors too.
Breast cancer is actually one of the best funded cancers, along with paediatric cancers and men’s urological cancers. The orphans of the cancer world include lung and brain, donations to them are far below the levels for breast etc (it’s actually a disgrace when it comes to lung, as there is a lot of stigma attached to lung cancer). That shouldn’t stop you donating to whichever cause you feel like though.
I can’t give you more advice on actual charities as I’m UK based.
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### Author:  [@JaneSaintClair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneSaintClair)
#### Post date: [September 30, 2008, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-my-breast-cancer-dollar-best-spent/465768/5 "2008-09-30T00:56:45Z")
If you want to ensure that your dollars go specifically towards breast cancer, Komen is your best bet, since that is their sole focus. So, even any $$ spent on administrative costs (which will be anywhere from 6-15% probably) will also indirectly support your cause. The American Cancer Society has a more general mission, and although worthy, spreads itself across all types of cancers.
Another great resource for further information about any charity is [www.guidestar.org](http://www.guidestar.org). You might need to register for a free membership, but it’s a great resource and tells you a great deal about an organization. For the most information, review the organization’s 990 form.
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### Author:  [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)
#### Post date: [September 30, 2008, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-my-breast-cancer-dollar-best-spent/465768/6 "2008-09-30T17:02:17Z")
Another source for charity information is [charitynavigator.com](http://charitynavigator.com). [Here](http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=4509) is their rating for Susan B Korman.
They give it four stars, their highest rating, although there are some posted comments by people who disagree.
In contrast, [American Cancer Society](http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=6495) is only rated two stars, spends almost 22% of their resources on fundraising, another 9.6% on administration, and pays their CEO over $600,000 a year.