Since it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a special mention has to be made this year to Nancy Brinker’s book about her sister, Susan Komen and the start of the biggest grass roots effort to find a cure for breast cancer.
The book, ‘Promise Me’ is a double or triple hanky tear jerker. The relationship between the sisters is very special and heartwarming. Susan died 30 years ago at age 36. A good friend of mine has a sister that has had breast cancer and a reoccurrence and she told me that her sister “means everything to her”. This same sentiment is felt from Nancy’s book about her sister Suzy.
The Susan G Komen foundation, www.komen.org, in their 28 years has invested $1 billion in breast cancer research and community outreach programs, becoming the World’s largest source of nonprofit funds fighting the disease. Komen for the Cure has 125 affiliates across the United States, Germany, Italy and Puerto Rico and continues to grow. Rarely does a woman go through breast cancer treatments these days that the influence from Komen funds is not felt. From drug research and diagnostic testing to local community programs such as free mammograms, exercise programs and support groups. Each year local affiliates award Komen for the Cure community grants for up to $40, 00.00 to support locally these efforts.
I am proud to be an ambassador for the Komen for the Cure charity. I speak about breast cancer to various groups or health fairs. I have sat on the peer review committee for grants, but prefer the one on one interaction available at health fairs. As a survivor, people feel a connection to share their story of themselves, their Mother, sister or friend with me. The promise that started between sisters 30 years ago to find a cure continues. There still is no cure for breast cancer.
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