Race for the Cure

Shahla Masood, MD, was honored in Italy for breast cancer advocacy.

Shahla Masood, MD, FCAP, professor and chair in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UF College of Medicine Jacksonville and medical director, UF Health Jacksonville Breast Center, was honored at the 25th anniversary of the annual “Race for the Cure,” held May 9-12 in Rome.

As part of her “Global Breast Health Education” Program, Masood has directed the “Annual Multidisciplinary Symposium on Breast Disease” since 1995 to foster the concept of integrated breast health education around the world. The event, which will celebrate its 30th year in February 2025, is held each year at the Ritz-Carlton in Amelia Island, Florida. This symposium has been taken abroad every five years, drawing hundreds of attendees and internationally renowned speakers each time to discuss the most recent discoveries in breast care, research, and education.

In 2000, Masood took the 5th anniversary symposium to Rome, having Ricardo Masetti, MD, a distinguished breast cancer surgeon, serve as co-director. At that time, Masood initiated the idea of “Race for the Cure” from Rome and actively contributed to the start of the American-Italian project in the fight against breast cancer, along with Masetti, Umberto Veronesi, MD, and Nancy Brinker, CEO of Susan G. Komen and former United States Ambassador to Hungary.

The “Race for the Cure” symposium marked the unveiling of two celebratory Italian postage stamps designed to increase breast cancer awareness. The stamps sold a significant number of copies becoming a major source of breast cancer research funding in Italy. This year, the symposium celebrated its 25th anniversary and was hosted by Sergio Mattarella, president of the Italian Republic, together with major Italian and international authorities, including Jack Markell, the U.S. Ambassador to Italy and San Marino.

Masood was the driving force behind the creation of Komen Italia, and over the years the “Race for the Cure,” a symbol of Komen Italia, has become the largest event for the fight against breast cancer in Italy and the world. Attendance in 2024 exceeded 150,000.

Masood, who directs the UF Health Jacksonville Breast Center and serves as the interim director of the UF Health Jacksonville Cancer Program, has dedicated her entire professional life to advancing women’s health worldwide. As a result of her outstanding academic career and global contributions to breast cancer research, education and diagnosis, Masood was honored with a special tribute during the event.