Breast Cancer Foundations

Breast Cancer Foundations

Raising Money For The Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Walk

The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation was started by Nancy Brinker in honor of her sister who had died of the illness. A former model and homecoming queen, Susan Goodman Komen passed away on August 4, 1980 after fighting breast cancer for three years. She was just 36 years old. Her sister, Nancy Brinker, had promised her she would do something to help other women with the disease. Susan had apparently died after poorly considered treatment options, and patient education would be a key part of the Komen Foundation's mission. The group was launched in Texas in 1982 by Brinker.

The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation is a leading advocacy group in the fight against breast cancer. The Komen Foundation is one of the nation's largest private funders of cutting-edge research, which has led to scientific breakthroughs such as the discovery of the BRCA-1 gene. The Komen Foundation promotes awareness of breast cancer in the United States and abroad. Komen is a textbook study in cause-related marketing. Marketers of consumer goods ranging from yogurt to cars have launched special promotions to support the Foundation. More than half the group's donations come from the well-known Komen Race for the Cure Series. More than a simple fundraiser, the Series is an educational vehicle to get people active and involved in the cause. Participants are invited to wear pink back signs in honor and memory of loved ones who have fought breast cancer, while survivors are encouraged to celebrate their survival by wearing pink caps and T-shirts. The Komen Foundation also supports public education, screening, treatment, and advocacy.

The Komen Foundation was started with just $200 and a shoebox full of names. One of the earliest fundraising events was a polo tournament that raised $30,000 to benefit Houston's M.D. Anderson Hospital. By the end of 1983, the Foundation had raised $150,000, according to Winning the Race . Brinker later told Business Week the local oil boom had helped the Foundation's early breast cancer fundraising efforts.

While cause-related marketing had been practiced by the March of Dimes and other charities, the Komen Foundation took the concept to new levels. Early attempts to place mammogram reminder tags with new bras were repulsed by marketers unwilling to associate their products with the disease. However, Brinker recalled in a memoir, changing demographics were on her side. Women's participation in the job market was increasing, bringing them new importance as consumers. Companies eventually warmed to the cause as a way to connect with female buyers.

A major fundraiser for the Susan B. Komen Foundation is the 3 day walk or Race for the Cure. Anyone wanting to walk or run in the event can take pledges to raise funds for the foundation. Many enter the race in honor of a loved one that has died from cancer, while many are supporting loved ones battling cancer. You can walk or run in the Race for the Cure and make a difference for someone with breast cancer. The Susan G Komen 3 Day Breast Cancer walk is one of those events that will change your life.

Komen Race for the Cure events and Susan G Komen 3 Day Breast Cancer Walks were held in nine cities in 1990. Runner's World published a profile of the series in its July 1991 issue. The Foundation had assets of $3 million by this time, and the group was raising more than $1 million a year. There were four prongs to its mission. Besides raising money for breast cancer research and promoting greater awareness of the disease, it also funded screenings and treatments for low-income women. By the mid-1990s, the Komen Foundation had funded more than 170 grants. The Race for the Cure Series, which had spread to four dozen cities, was the chief funding source. Susan Braun, a veteran of Bristol-Myers Squibb, became the Foundation's CEO in 1996, and more professional staff were hired.

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For more information on breast cancer fundraising then try visiting at http://www.fundraisingforacause.com - a website that specializes in providing breast cancer related information.

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