Fighting to Beat Breast Cancer

Courtney Rauch: Everyone knows someone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer, I just
never thought it would be me. Originally, after being diagnosed, I thought that my doctors
would be able to tell me this is what's wrong with you, this is how you fix it, but I learned
that ultimately the decision for my own treatment was up to me which was very hard.
Narrator: One in every eight women in the United States will face breast cancer at some
time in their lives. At the University of Notre Dame, Dr. Steven Buechler is working
to improve the accuracy of information that these patients receive about their diagnosis.
Dr. Steven Buechler: The biggest challenge in treating breast cancer is that there are
so many different subtypes of the disease. To most effectively treat the disease and
the patient, we need to understand her specific cancer.
Narrator: By combining mathematics and molecular biology, Dr. Buechler has developed a genomic
test that pinpoints the behavior of a patients cancer and measures the threat that it will
spread throughout the body. Dr. Julie Margenthaler: Dr. Buechlers work
is important, in that it can transform the way we approach breast cancer because our
goal is to have targeted therapy for each patient, so that we can provide her the best
chance for a cure. Rauch: My own battle with breast cancer has
changed my life. I have now decided to become an applied math major and have begun working
in Dr. Buechlers lab and I feel so lucky to use whatever misfortune I face to help other
people. Narrator: The University of Notre Dame asks
what would you fight for? Rauch: Fighting to beat breast cancer.
Buechler: We are the fighting Irish.