Protect Our Breasts

What Protect Our Breasts does

Protect Our Breasts (POB) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization founded in 2010 by Cynthia Barstow following a breast cancer diagnosis that inspired her to translate environmental health science for young people. The organization operates a nationwide network of 50+ student-led chapters at college and high school campuses, where peer-to-peer educators use a standardized Chapter Toolkit (tabling kits, Bra Pong event kits, monthly meeting slides, brand guidelines) to teach peers about toxic chemical exposures linked to breast cancer. Its core value proposition is preventive education during ages 18-25, when lifetime environmental exposures are forming and when habit formation has the greatest leverage; POB cites that approximately 90% of breast cancer cases are not linked to family history and that breast cancer is now the leading cause of cancer death among women ages 20-39.

The business model is donation-funded via its parent organization Breast Cancer Prevention Partners (BCPP), with a complementary revenue stream from an enhanced brand partnership program that connects 120+ vetted organic and safer-product brands (including Dr. Bronner's, Numi Organic Tea, and Pete and Gerry's Organic Eggs) with chapters for tabling events, giveaways, and campus activations. Basic brand listing is free; brands pay for enhanced tiers with deeper marketing integration. Funders include the Jack and Goldie Nomberg Foundation, Kanengiser Family, and Peters Family. The curriculum is grounded in third-party scientific databases, notably Silent Spring Institute's 921 breast cancer-relevant chemicals (2024 study) and 216 mammary carcinogens, plus the Endocrine Disruptors Exchange's 1,000+ chemical catalog. Following its February 2025 integration into BCPP, POB continues to operate from San Francisco under Bex Barstow (Co-Director) and Abby McCarthy (Senior Coordinator), with a National Student Executive Board, a Policy Advocacy Training program, and a recently launched POB Abroad team signaling geographic expansion ambitions.

Name

Protect Our Breasts

Legal name

Protect Our Breasts

Website

https://protectourbreasts.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Protect Our Breasts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, now a program of Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, that educates college and high school students about environmental toxins linked to breast cancer through 50+ student-led chapters and a 120+ brand partnership program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Health Education and Advocacy

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

akta.pro primary industry

Non-Communicable Disease Prevention & Chronic Disease Programs (BPAIAJAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public Health, Immunization & Communicable Disease Services (EDALAFAK)

Keywords

• Breast cancer prevention
• Environmental health education
• Nonprofit health advocacy
• Student health programs
• Safer product education

Headquarters

HQ city

Amherst

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit program of Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, POB is funded through donations from individuals and foundations. The organization's website accepts donations through BCPP's donation portal. Support is acknowledged from the Jack and Goldie Nomberg Foundation, the Kanengiser Family, and the Peters Family.
2. Enhanced Brand Partnerships: While basic partnership listing is free, brands can opt for enhanced partnerships that provide deeper integration with BCPP/POB's marketing and engagement initiatives, connecting them with health and eco-conscious young consumers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Protect Our Breasts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit prevention education program that translates complex environmental health science into accessible knowledge for young people. It operates a nationwide network of 50+ student-led chapters at college and high school campuses that conduct peer-to-peer education about toxic chemicals linked to breast cancer, runs a Brand Partnership Program connecting students with 120+ vetted organic brands, and trains student leaders in policy advocacy. The organization is a program of Breast Cancer Prevention Partners (BCPP) and is funded through charitable donations.

Product overview

Protect Our Breasts (POB) is a prevention education nonprofit, not a traditional product company. Its core offering is a chapter-based education program that translates environmental health science into actionable knowledge. The primary platform consists of a nationwide network of student-led chapters supported by a Brand Partnership Database of 120+ vetted organic/safer brands. Supporting resources include the Chapter Toolkit (tabling materials, Bra Pong kits, meeting slides, startup guides), Resource Library (external databases and apps), Activator Network (alumni advocates), and Policy Advocacy Training. The organization operates as a program of Breast Cancer Prevention Partners (BCPP) focused on reaching young people during critical developmental periods.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• POB Chapter Network A nationwide network of student-led campus groups that educate peers about environmental toxins linked to breast cancer through peer-to-peer education, campus events, and chapter activities. Each chapter operates independently with elected positions and plans its own meetings, tabling events, and fundraisers.
• Brand Partnership Program A network of 120+ organic and safer product brands vetted by POB scientists that align with the breast cancer prevention mission, connecting students with vetted safer alternatives through campus tabling events, giveaways, and promotional content.
• Activator Network Alumni and community advocates (Campus, Community, and Alumni Activators) who continue breast cancer prevention advocacy beyond individual campuses through professional networks, mentorship roles, and nationwide campaigns.
• Policy Advocacy Training Training program for student leaders to become environmental health policy advocates pushing for legislative changes at local, state, and federal levels, including advocacy for bills like the 2025 Federal Safer Beauty Bill Package.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1 in 8 women diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Breast Cancer Prevention Partners (BCPP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2025In February 2025, Protect Our Breasts was integrated into Breast Cancer Prevention Partners. BCPP is the only breast cancer organization focused solely on prevention, working to eliminate toxic chemicals and environmental exposures linked to the disease. This strategic partnership unites BCPP's expertise in science, market-based change, and public policy with POB's proven success in engaging collegiate and high school communities.
• TOUCH, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance (TOUCHBBCA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPOB and TOUCHBBCA co-authored an article on the 2025 Federal Safer Beauty Bill Package. TOUCH serves as a hub for Black Breast Cancer prevention, research, and community support, while POB brings youth education and scientific translation. Together they tackle the same problem from complementary angles: TOUCH brings expertise in reaching Black communities with health messaging, while POB brings youth education and scientific translation.
• Numi Organic TeaflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-authored educational content about tea bag safety and plastic exposure. Numi Organic Tea has committed to plastic-free tea bags made from biodegradable Manila hemp fiber and plant-based compostable wrappers. Partnership reflects shared commitment to education, transparency, and helping people make informed choices about what they put in their bodies.
• Silent Spring InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPOB's science is informed by Silent Spring Institute's research connecting environmental chemicals to women's health with a primary focus on breast cancer. The organization references Silent Spring Institute's database of 216 mammary carcinogens and contributes to spreading awareness of their findings on breast cancer-relevant chemicals.
• Campaign for Safe CosmeticscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCampaign for Safe Cosmetics is a program of BCPP that leads the movement to make beauty and personal care products safer. POB leverages CSC's science-based communication and advocacy work to educate students about toxic chemicals in personal care products.
• Environmental Working Group (EWG)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPOB references EWG's Skin Deep Cosmetic Database (60,000+ products) and EWG's Guide to Healthy Cleaning as tools to help students identify toxic ingredients while shopping. These resources are recommended alongside POB's brand partnerships.
• Dr. Bronner'sflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner120+ organic and safer product brands partner with POB, including Dr. Bronner's. Partners commit to transparent supply chains and toxic-free formulations. They gain access to campus chapters for product sampling, tabling events, and brand promotion to engaged Gen Z consumers.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Living Beyond Breast Cancer: National education and support nonprofit serving people impacted by breast cancer across all ages. Adjacent peer in education-driven nonprofit model; differentiated from POB by its survivorship and patient-support focus versus primary prevention messaging.
• Susan G. Komen: Largest US breast cancer organization with broad awareness, research, and patient-support programs. Compares to POB on cause-area leadership but operates a fundamentally different model focused on screening, treatment, and survivorship rather than prevention.
• National Breast Cancer Coalition: Established national advocacy organization pursuing policy and research funding goals across the breast cancer spectrum. Larger incumbent peer with broader mission; POB differentiates through its narrow prevention focus and youth education angle.

Direct peers

• Young Survival Coalition: National nonprofit dedicated to young adults affected by breast cancer, with peer-to-peer support and education programming. Directly comparable in serving the under-40 female demographic and operating a community-led model similar to POB's chapter-based approach.
• Environmental Working Group (EWG): Founded research and advocacy organization that publishes the Skin Deep Cosmetic Database and consumer guides on chemical exposures — the exact resources POB points its audience toward. Strong overlap in educational content, consumer-facing tools, and mission to reduce toxic chemical exposures.
• Breast Cancer Prevention Partners (BCPP): POB's parent organization since February 2025 and the nation's only breast cancer organization solely focused on prevention. Operates the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics program and shares POB's environmental-health, science-to-market advocacy model, making it the most direct structural peer.
• Bright Pink: Former national nonprofit focused on risk reduction and early detection of breast and ovarian cancer among young women, with comparable education-driven outreach to a similar Gen Z / millennial audience. Direct predecessor-category peer in mission and demographic, even though now operated under different stewardship.
• TOUCH, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance: Active POB coalition partner that co-authored the 2025 Federal Safer Beauty Bill Package content. Addresses breast cancer disparities in Black communities through outreach and policy — complementary population but overlapping advocacy, education, and policy methods.

Emerging players

• Silent Spring Institute: Research nonprofit whose mammary carcinogens database directly underpins POB's curriculum and brand-vetting logic. Smaller and science-output focused rather than community education, but the foundational research counterpart to POB's youth education front-end.
• Made Safe: Nonprofit certification body that screens consumer products for harmful chemicals and issues a 'Made Safe' seal — overlapping the brand-verification function POB provides informally through its 120+ partnership program. Comparable in serving the safer-products consumer demand wave.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/protectourbreasts
• Instagraminstagram.com/protectourbreasts
• TikToktiktok.com/@protect.our.breasts
• Xx.com/protectbreasts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/protect-our-breasts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Protect Our Breasts