Samsung Medical Center, the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea and Goldman Sachs launched a joint project on Thursday to educate company workers on breast cancer.

The medical center developed a support program for breast cancer patients, called “Bravo Project,” with sponsorship from Goldman Sachs, in October 2012. This time, they will extend the program to company workers.

Medical professionals at the center will provide special education sessions to a total of 2,000 workers from 20 companies and organizations for about five months from Jan. 2 to May 22.

The project was launched in a ceremony at the center with the attendance of U.S. Ambassador to Korea Sung Kim, AMCHAM Korea chairman and Boeing Korea president Patrick Gaines, Samsung Medical Center president Song Jae-hoon and others, including executives from the 20 participating companies.

The ceremony was followed by a 45-minute education session on breast cancer.

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer affecting women in Korea. While the survival rate is close to 90 percent, still, breast cancer patients have difficulty resuming work after treatment. According to the National Cancer Center, only 70 percent of breast cancer survivors returned to their jobs after their recovery.

Social stigma and discrimination faced by survivors are significant: 58.7 percent of people believe that breast cancer patients are less efficient workers, while 25.9 percent are reluctant to work with colleagues with a history of cancer, according to the cancer center at Samsung Medical Center.

Goldman Sachs will sponsor the extended program for company employees, while AMCHAM Korea has striven to reduce the number of women discontinuing their careers.

By Chun Sung-woo (swchun@heraldcorp.com)