The Power of Pink
by Debbie Crawford Sturm
October 06

It’s pretty incredible how quickly time seems to fly, isn’t it? For the countless survivors, volunteers, and participants of the Komen Charlotte Race for the Cure, October 7th will represent a moment to stand in awe over the marvels that a decade of inspiration, motivation and tireless dedication has brought to our community.  And to look ahead with hope and excitement as the Race and its devoted army committed to the fight against breast cancer plunge into their second decade.

For those unfamiliar with this race, the Komen Charlotte Race for the Cure is a Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation fundraiser that features a 5K competitive race, 5K non-competitive run/walk, one-mile route, 50-yard kids’ dash, race expo, survivor’s tent, and much more. It is a celebration of life where runners and walkers of all ages come together to honor survivors who are winning the battle against breast cancer and to remember those who have lost their lives to this devastating disease. This year the race will initiate a new venue - at Gateway Village – to serve as host to the largest turnout of survivors, supporters, volunteers and runners to date. 

In order to better understand the history of this event in Charlotte, it’s important to understand its beginnings and how a seemingly simple promise made by one person can change the lives of countless others.

In 1982, Nancy Brinker vowed to find a way to honor her sister, Susan Komen, who died of breast cancer at the age of 36, and to help find meaning in what otherwise was such a tragedy.  Before she died, Suzy asked Nancy to promise she would do something to help other women who battled this disease. Armed with only a shoebox full of names and $200, Nancy was determined to find the money and enough helping hands to educate women and find a cure for this disease. The first Race for the Cure was held in her hometown, Dallas, Texas, in 1983 and the Komen story began.
 
Coincidentally, the Komen Charlotte Affiliate was also founded on a promise. When Founder, Penelope Wilson, lost her partner, Annie Wingo, to breast cancer in 1992, Penelope made a promise to make a difference in the fight against this disease. She was impressed by the fact that the Komen Foundation not only provided funding for research to find a cure, but that it also supported locally-based education, screening and treatment programs to help  spread the message of early detection and prevention. 

Like Nancy Brinker, Penelope worked to pull together a strong group of local women who joined forces and brought the first annual Komen Charlotte Race for the Cure to fruition on October 4, 1997.  With hopes of 1,000 participants, 2,300 filled the streets and raised nearly $200,000. By 2005, what began as a promise, Charlotte’s Race for the Cure, celebrated over 11,500 passionate participants and more than $1.1 million for breast cancer programs and research.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women of all ages and is the leading cause of cancer death of women between the ages of 40 and 59.  And while all women are at risk – a risk that increases with age – more and more younger women are being diagnosed with the disease long before the traditional age of their first mammogram. In fact, it’s not just women who are diagnosed with breast cancer. Men represent a small, but significant, number of diagnosis. And the impact of a breast cancer diagnosis knows no demographics. Moms, dads, brothers, sisters, spouses, friends, children and co-workers are all affected when someone they love hears, “You have breast cancer.” 

More than 20 years after Nancy Brinker made her promise, the Komen Foundation has become a global leader in the fight against breast cancer and is the world’s largest private funder of breast cancer research and community outreach programs. Together with its strong network of affiliates, corporate partners and generous donors, the Komen Foundation has raised nearly $180 million for the fight against breast cancer.
Since the first Komen Charlotte Race for the Cure a decade ago, the Komen Charlotte Affiliate has raised more than $4.6 million for local screening, treatment and education programs. Seventy-five percent of their net proceeds go toward breast cancer education, screening and treatment initiatives at the local level – it stays right here in our community – with the remaining 25 percent designated to support the Komen Foundation’s National Award and Research Grant Program.

This year alone, Komen Charlotte awarded $700,000 to 21 breast cancer programs in a nine-county area covering education, screening and treatment efforts in collaboration with other organizations. Programs selected range from breast health education for low income and minority women to mammogram screening and advanced diagnostic services. 
Perhaps one of the most striking things about the Charlotte Komen Foundation is the fact that the organization employs only three people – two full time and one part time staff member. Yet the impact made in our community represents the work of a massive team of volunteers and a wonderfully driven Board of Directors, all of whom have come to Komen after experiencing the magic of participating in a Race for the Cure event, being inspired by a story of survivorship, or having lived that experience themselves.

It’s no surprise, however, that so many of their most devoted volunteers have walked or run that 5K course and felt the magic in the air. The sea of pink survivor t-shirts, hats and balloons serves as a reminder not only of how far reaching and non-discriminatory this disease is, but it also reminds us that the fight is paying off and the odds of surviving – and thriving – are growing with every research and education dollar spent.

If you have not yet experienced Charlotte’s Race for the Cure, you still have a few days to get your registration form complete.  And if that’s not your cup of tea, think about heading Uptown on the 7th – grab a cup of coffee – and take in a heaping dose of pure unadulterated inspiration. 

Celebrate life.  Celebrate hope. Celebrate the men and women who have survived this disease, their families who have trudged along that road with them, the families who lost loved ones to breast cancer and stand firm in their resolve to remember and to hope, the volunteers who are forever changed by the few hours they spend helping, and the thousands of other runners and walkers who want to share in the moment. And remember that all this started with one woman’s promise. It’s pretty incredible, you know?

Congratulations to the Charlotte Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation on 10 powerful years…Keep the promise going!

The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation is your source for breast cancer facts, support and education. To find out more about the Charlotte Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, the Race for the Cure®, and other events and services, please visit www.KomenCharlotte.org or call 704.347.8181

Visit Charlotte Radiology’s website for a comprehensive collection of resources and information on women’s health and breast cancer. www.charlotteradiology.com.  Also learn more about their cutting edge technology as they take the lead on early detection and more accurate diagnosis.