Can one person make a difference?? That was the question that Nancy Goodman Brinker found herself asking after the death of her sister Susan G. Komen in 1980. Diagnosed at 33 with breast cancer, Susan fought a valiant battle with the disease. In 1978, when Susan was diagnosed, the only time breast cancer was mentioned in the press was when former First Lady Betty Ford bravely chose to publicize her battle with the disease. It was a time where no one talked openly about the disease, newspapers and TV balked at printing or mentioning the words breast cancer. There were few treatment options, as little was known of the disease, and there was limited funding committed to finding treatment. There was a sense of isolation, shame, despair, fear, and hopelessness caused by this disease.
Can one person make a difference? Nancy had promised her older sister Susan that she would do everything she could to end breast cancer. To fulfill that promise, Nancy founded the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation in Susan’s memory in 1982. In 1983, she founded the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure®. Nancy broke the silence around breast cancer, and Komen for the Cure is now the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures.
In a matter of years, the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure® (www.komen.org) is now the world’s largest and most successful education and fundraising event for breast cancer. Nancy’s creativity in raising awareness to the disease led to programs that at the time were revolutionary. She enlisted every segment of society-survivors, families, citizens, businesses, the medical profession, and government leaders, basically anyone she could-to participate in the battle. She pioneered cause-related marketing, allowing millions to participate in the fight against breast cancer and share Komen’s commitment to end the disease forever.
Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s unwavering advocacy for breast cancer survivors led to new legislation and greater government research funding. It has led to more public awareness with women being proactive, learning more about the disease, symptoms and earlier testing. It has led to changes in insurance. It has led to a change in treatment centers for all people with cancer. To date, the organization has invested more than $1.9 billion in breast cancer research, education, screening and treatment. Virtually every major advance in breast cancer research has been touched by hundreds of millions of dollars in Komen for the Cure funding.
Can one person make a difference? Nancy’s love for her sister, her passion, her determination in honoring her promise to create a world without breast cancer, shows how much one person can make a difference. In one generation, the organization Nancy founded that bears Susan’s name has changed the world. When you see the words Susan G. Komen for the Cure, be thankful to Susan for making Nancy promise to make a difference, and to Nancy for the courage to educate as all!
