The Fondation d’entreprises Bergonié is an organization aimed at engaging and uniting companies around the theme of investing in cancer research.
Specifically, the Foundation does not simply provide a blank check to the Institute, but funds projects based on three key areas. The first is cutting-edge equipment, which has significantly advanced in recent years with artificial intelligence. For example, the Foundation has helped acquire an interventional radiology table that allows, through high-precision imaging, including MRI and PET scans, the integration of artificial intelligence in the more precise analysis of images and the early detection of anomalies that lead to personalized treatments.
The second area focuses on research projects for new medications, which account for 80% of the Foundation's expenditures. The goal in oncology is to offer the most personalized treatments possible. “We know that chemotherapy is poison, so the aim is to detect therapeutic targets to destroy cancer cells without harming healthy cells,” emphasizes Marina Mas.
In this field, the Foundation has funded molecular screenings that help define a genetic profile, thereby determining therapeutic targets to provide personalized medicine and offer therapeutic alternatives to certain patients for whom traditional treatments have failed.
Finally, the third area of support from the Foundation focuses on patient assistance projects throughout all stages of the illness, including prevention beforehand and a return-to-work project afterward. During the illness, this can involve pain management programs, stress management, and adapted physical activity, which is crucial post-surgery for regaining mobility, supporting treatments, and psychologically reclaiming one’s body to remain strong in the fight against the disease.
“It’s not easy to ask for money,” explains Marina Mas, “because it’s still a taboo subject. In France, we are not in that culture. However, it is a privilege to have a job that is useful. And I admit that when it’s sometimes hard to pick up my staff to approach business leaders, I think of those young patients being treated at Bergonié. I tell myself that for them, it’s worth moving mountains and continuing to fight.”
