Two high-profile breast cancer survivors, with the nation’s top breast cancer doctors backing them, launched the Pink Eraser Project to accelerate development of life saving breast cancer vaccines, aiming to shorten the process by 25 years.

Founders Kristen Dahlgren, an NBC News correspondent, and breast cancer advocate and attorney Michele Young say the project will provide what’s been missing – focus, practical support, collaboration and funding – to take existing science and technology and bring breast cancer vaccines to market.

“The science to end breast cancer exists by harnessing the power of our own immune systems. We have safe and proven vaccines that have prevented recurrence in women in early-stage trials,” said Young. “We need to act now to make these vaccines available to all.”

“Imagine a day when our moms, friends, and little girls like my seven-year-old daughter won’t know breast cancer as a fatal disease,” said Dahlgren. “This is everybody’s fight, and we hope everyone gets behind us. Together we can get this done.”

The pair enrolled doctors from Memorial Sloan Kettering, Cleveland Clinic, MD Anderson, Dana-Farber, University of Washington’s Cancer Vaccine Institute and Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center to work together and advise them.

More here.

IMAGE: Kristen Dahlgren