Advocacy saves lives by empowering people and changing systems. Nationally, VBCF has been in the forefront of the movement to make breast cancer a healthcare priority. VBCF worked collaboratively with other grassroots organizations to achieve the following goals: increase funding for breast cancer research; increase options for the treatment of breast cancer, including more clinical trials and less invasive surgeries; and to disseminate the truth about breast cancer so that women and men are empowered to participate more fully in their healthcare decisions.