400 women donate during All-Star Cure

Selfless act helps researchers at IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Komen Tissue Bank

July 16, 2025

INDIANAPOLIS – Hundreds of women answered the call to help cancer researchers during the recent All-Star Cure breast tissue collection event.

Four hundred women donated healthy breast tissue to the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Susan G. Komen Tissue Bank, a resource within the Vera Bradley Foundation Center for Breast Cancer Research at the cancer center, during the July 12-13 bold endeavor.

At All-Star Cure — a partnership between the WNBA All-Star 2025 Host Committee and the Komen Tissue Bank and powered by the Catherine Peachey Fund — the goal of reaching younger women and women of color was met: 40% of the breast tissue donors were under age 40, while 34% of the donors were women of color.

“We are thrilled that 400 women literally gave a piece of themselves to further breast cancer research here at Indiana University and across the globe,” Michele Coté, director of the Komen Tissue Bank, said. “As the only resource like this in the world, these donations will impact the search for new ways to both prevent and cure breast cancer.”

“It's truly incredible and inspiring to know hundreds of women showed up and took action for the All-Star Cure breast tissue donation drive," Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO and WNBA All-Star 2025 Founding Chair Mel Raines said. "The WNBA All-Star Host Committee was honored to partner with the IU Komen Tissue Bank on such a critical effort in the fight against breast cancer. To have WNBA All-Star 2025 help shine a spotlight on this cause and make a real, lasting contribution to research, is exactly the kind of legacy we hope to leave in our community.”

By analyzing samples from women without breast cancer, researchers can study the differences between healthy and cancerous tissues, which will lead to a better understanding of the disease. Researchers at IU and elsewhere have already made new discoveries about breast cancer by using samples donated to the Komen Tissue Bank. For example, IU researchers completed the most extensive mapping of healthy breast cells to date. These findings offer an important tool to understand how breast cancer develops and the differences in breast tissue among people with different genetic ancestries.

“In addition to the selfless women who donated tissue and the hundreds of volunteers who made the two days run smoothly, my colleagues and I are also indebted to the tremendous support from our sponsors,” Coté said. “Their support means we can focus on what we do best: recruiting and research. We were able to reach a whole new group of people who were unaware of the amazing work being done through the Komen Tissue Bank.”

All-Star Cure was generously supported by the WNBA All-Star 2025 Host Committee, Catherine Peachey Fund, Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer, Eli Lilly and Company, Republic Airways, Chu and Chan Foundation, Indiana University Indianapolis, Azenta Life Sciences, Hologic, Indiana University Health, and Karen Gentleman & Michael McCarty.

All-Star Cure took place the weekend before the AT&T WNBA All-Star Game. The game is July 19 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, home of the Indiana Fever, and marks the first time that Indianapolis will host the league’s midseason showcase.

In anticipation of the All-Star festivities, many tissue bank donors wore their Indiana Fever gear. The team’s mascot, Freddy Fever, made an appearance on Saturday, posing with donors and volunteers. As donors exited the procedure area, a crew of volunteers greeted them with applause as they approached the check-out desk. A celebration area offered photo opportunities, an All-Star Cure banner to sign, chair massages, and treats such as bottled tea from Tamika Catchings’ Indianapolis-based Tea’s Me Cafe and a gift from the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer.