The Story of The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Throughout the month of October, you see women wearing pink, “pink” themed walks and drinks are sponsored, and benefits are held. Many are familiar with the Susan G. Komen Foundation, and the “Komen for the Cure” standpoint. Breast cancer affects many women every year at a disastrous rate. Thousands of families are left to pick up the pieces and try to understand what happened. With the help of the Susan G. Komen foundation, Breast Cancer awareness is at an all-time high. Like many charities, it unfortunately takes a life lost to save many others. This rule is not an exception for the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Susan G. Komen grew up in Peoria, Illinois. She was the homecoming queen and the ideal beautiful older sister. She had a normal life. She married her college sweetheart and talked to her sister every day. One day, the doctor’s found a lump in her breast that was discovered to not be a cyst. At the young age of 33, Susan G. Komen was diagnosed with breast cancer. Growing up in a small town and with little breast cancer awareness, Susan listened to the care of her local doctor. Without seeking further advice from other surgeons and with little knowledge out there, it’s easy to believe something that others tell you when you do not understand it yourself. After receiving a subcutaneous mastectomy, Susan believed to be cured from cancer. For the next five months, she went back to living her life as if nothing happened. That is, until a second lump was discovered underneath her arm. The cancer had spread, and the optimism was diminishing. After further tests, it was discovered that Susan’s cancer had spread to her lung. She started radiation therapy and found strength in a fellow cancer survivor, Ms. Betty Ford. Through radiation treatments and later chemotherapy treatments, Susan continued to fight the battle. As a Stage IV cancer patient, the cancer was growing rapidly, and the treatments were brutal. Chemotherapy is often accompanied with nausea, hair loss, sores, and loss of strength in the body. After a hard 3 year battle to cancer, Susan G. Komen passed away. Three courses of chemotherapy, radiation treatments, operations, and hundreds of doctor appointments could not help the process. The battle was painful not only for Susan, but for her family and friends who watched her go through it as well. Nancy G. Brinker, Susan’s younger sister, promised her on her deathbed that she would do anything and everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In 1982, she created the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and launched the world’s largest breast cancer awareness movement. She proved that it only takes one to bring awareness to many. Today, Komen for the Cure is the world’s largest network of breast cancer survivors, activists, and organizations that fight for the cure. They work to empower and support those going through the horrific cancer, as well as bring awareness and help those discover it in the early stages. More than $1.9 billion dollars has been donated to the promise of finding the cure for breast cancer. The foundation has played a critical role in every major advancement of technology and media involvement since 1982. The United States currently is the largest group in the world of breast cancer survivors at a staggering 2.5 million women. It is true testament to the power of one person and what we can do when we unite. The post The Story of The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation appeared first on MemoryPins.org Blog. bit.ly/17n1p85
Posted on: Tue, 01 Oct 2013 10:11:16 +0000
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