Healthy Tissue for Hope

Join the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer and the Komen Tissue Bank in Fort Wayne to advance breast cancer research

The Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer and the Susan G. Komen Tissue Bank at the IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer (KTB) are joining forces for a unique breast tissue collection event in Fort Wayne on Nov. 14.

This collaboration aims to empower our community by directly involving local residents in the research process, ensuring that future treatments are effective and inclusive. Fueled by the success of previous large-scale initiatives, this partnership addresses health disparities through life-saving research and representation.

Healthy Tissue for Hope: A Gift for the Future

Date: Nov. 14, 2026

Time: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Location: IU Health Fort Wayne Outpatient Surgery Center

4105 Dicke Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46804

Schedule a Donation Appointment Join the Interested Donor List

For more than 25 years, the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer and the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center have shared a powerful partnership driven by one mission: ending breast cancer through research. Inspired by the loss of a close friend to breast cancer, Vera Bradley co-founders Barbara Bradley Baekgaard and Patricia R. Miller launched grassroots fundraising efforts in 1993 that ultimately led to a transformational collaboration with IU in 1999. Since then, the foundation has committed more than $50 million to support groundbreaking research, recruit leading scientists and physicians, and establish the Vera Bradley Foundation Center for Breast Cancer Research at the IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Together, our two organizations have advanced discoveries in precision genomics, immunotherapy, survivorship, health equity, and treatments for aggressive cancers such as triple negative breast cancer, helping position IU as a national leader in breast cancer innovation.

What to expect

Your donation experience (Approx. 90 minutes)

From the moment you arrive, our team guides you through every step to ensure you are comfortable and informed.

  1. Check-in & consent: Meet our team and provide informed consent.
  2. Health snapshot: We’ll record quick measurements (height/weight) and you will complete a health history questionnaire.
  3. The collection: A physician will clean and numb a small area of the breast. Using a specialized needle, a sample about the size of three small peas is collected. A small blood sample will also be collected for research.
  4. Care & recovery: To ensure proper healing, a surgeon’s assistant will hold pressure on the incision for 10 minutes before applying a pressure bandage. An ice pack is then placed immediately inside the bra.
  5. Ready to go: Once the collection is complete, we send you off with clear aftercare instructions and an ice pack to take with you.

Carry on with your day

There is no "downtime" required, but we do ask you to take it easy for the remainder of your day. You can carry on with your day as normal immediately following your donation.

Eligibility quick-check

You are likely eligible to donate if you:

  • Are age 18 or older.
  • Do not have breast implants.
  • Are not receiving a therapeutic blood thinner. (This does not include aspirin.) 
  • Are not allergic to lidocaine.

Note on "normal" tissue: We are looking for donations of normal breast tissue from women with no current signs of breast cancer. If you have a history of breast cancer or other medical conditions, you may still be eligible to participate or donate your time.

View Full Eligibility Details & FAQ

Join the volunteer team

Not Donating? You Can Still Make an Impact.

Sign up for a Volunteer Shift Join the Interested Volunteer List

General volunteer roles:

  • Donor Check-In and Check-Out
  • Height/Weight
  • Specimen Runner
  • Computer Assistant
  • Consenter (Requires special training)
  • Donor Escort
  • Other lay positions

If you have medical or lab experience:

  • Surgeon Assistant
  • Surgeon/Radiologist
  • Phlebotomist
  • Laboratory Assistant

Volunteer Role Descriptions

About the Susan G. Komen Tissue Bank

The Komen Tissue Bank is the only repository in the world for normal breast tissue and matched serum, plasma, and DNA. We are transforming breast cancer research by offering normal, high-quality, richly annotated tissue samples to scientists worldwide.

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