Meet Ginny
Ginny is the Executive Director of the Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Foundation (ibcRF), a grassroots advocacy organization dedicated to advancing inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) research as well as increasing awareness of IBC in the medical and lay communities. ibcRF is a web-based organization relying on volunteers, working from their own homes.
Following diagnosis and treatment of IBC in 1994, Ginny became involved in breast cancer advocacy while working full-time as a mental health nurse. After completing her bachelor’s degree in nursing in 1999 she began volunteering with the newly formed IBC Research Foundation. That role included responding to calls, answering website submitted questions, conferences, and ‘other duties as assigned.’ This expanded to include Executive Director in May 2003.
Research advocacy activities include Consumer Reviewer and ad hoc Integration Panel member for the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) of the Department of Defense and grant review for SG Komen, Avon, and the California Breast Cancer Research Program. Ginny served four years on the FDA Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) as consumer representative and now serves as a Patient Representative. She represents Indiana University on the Translational Breast Cancer Research Consortium (TBCRC) and serves on the breast cancer committee for SWOG clinical trial group. Memberships include the Oncology Nursing Society, National Breast Cancer Coalition, American Society of Clinical Oncology, and American Association for Cancer Research. She received a B.S. in nursing from Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, Virginia.
In 2005 she helped develop and implement the IBC Research Foundation BioBank and Clinical Data Base. Duties include managing the project, working with researchers and the Medical Advisory Board as well as Indiana University staff who provide storage for the biospecimens.
Ginny lives with her husband in West Lafayette, Indiana. They have one daughter (also a breast cancer survivor), seven granddaughters and one grandson. They've lost two infant grandchildren.
