Atlantic Breast Cancer Information Project: formation of a "town-gown" partnership

The Atlantic Breast Cancer Information Project (ABCIP) is one of 5 breast cancer information exchange projects funded by Health Canada. This article describes the development of ABCIP and thereby contributes to the limited knowledge on successful partnership formation in the face of restraints but with support from enabling factors. Partnership formation is presented in the context of alliances in management, coalitions in health promotion, and social movements. The restraining factors were the inertia of the status quo, provincial structures and concerns about empowering others. The enabling factors fell into 3 categories: timely logistics, roles of individuals who participated at critical points in the process, and the evolution of a supportive cultural environment. The article outlines ABCIP's achievements to date.