By Bob Katzen

The House gave initial approval to legislation, known as Marnie’s Law, which would integrate Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) education into the undergraduate curriculum of all approved nursing programs in the state.

IBC is a rare and aggressive form of invasive breast cancer that often presents itself as swelling or redness of the breast, as opposed to a lump that is typically associated with breast cancer. Marnie’s Law is named after 37-year-old Marnie Elizabeth Cass Robidas who died from IBC in 2022.

Supporters said that IBC is challenging for medical providers to diagnose. They noted that the inclusion of IBC training will effectively improve patient outcomes by reducing the chance of misdiagnoses, ultimately saving countless lives.

”My family was affected by IBC, and when I learned from working with Marnie’s Army and [co-sponsor] Rep. Diggs that its symptoms weren’t taught in nursing education, I was inspired to join their effort to save women’s lives,” said co-sponsor Rep. Hadley Luddy (D-Orleans).

Marnie’s Army is a group, named after Marnie, which raises awareness of the disease and raises money for research and education on the illness at Boston’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

“I filed this bill because inflammatory breast cancer is one of the most aggressive and least understood forms of breast cancer, and too many patients lose precious time due to delayed or incorrect diagnosis,” said co-sponsor Rep. Kip Diggs (D-Barnstable). “By ensuring that every nursing student in Massachusetts is trained to recognize the signs of IBC, we are strengthening early detection and saving lives. Marnie’s Law is about awareness, compassion and giving our future nurses the tools they need to protect patients and families across the commonwealth.”