From Personal Loss to Global Impact: The Power of Promise in Fighting Breast Cancer

October of each year is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The late summer and fall is also the time of year for the Susan Komen Race for the Cure event. I went to many of the "races" for the cure with my mom and family. They were inspiring events. They also had melancholy aspects. What these races did do was highlight the need for research and support for breast cancer awareness and research. I thought this would be a great time to explore in more detail the Susan B. Komen Foundation.

The Komen Foundation

When Nancy Brinker lost her sister Susan G. Komen to breast cancer in 1980, she made a promise that would transform the landscape of cancer advocacy forever. That promise, to do everything in her power to end breast cancer, became the foundation for what is now the world's largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists. But Susan's story is not unique in its power to inspire action from devastating loss.

A Sister's Promise That Changed Everything

Susan G. Komen was just 36 years old when she died from breast cancer, leaving behind a young son and a sister determined to honor her memory. In 1982, Nancy Brinker founded Susan G. Komen for the Cure with just $200 and a shoebox full of potential donor names. What started as a small Dallas-based organization has grown into a global movement that has invested more than $3 billion in breakthrough research, community health programs, advocacy, and patient support services.

The Ripple Effect of Personal Experience

The power of personal experience in driving meaningful change extends far beyond the Komen story. When someone watches a loved one battle cancer for years, attending countless appointments, witnessing the daily struggles with treatment, observing the small but significant challenges like having nowhere to safely carry essential items during treatments, they develop an intimate understanding of what patients truly need.

This lived experience often reveals gaps that medical professionals and well-intentioned organizations might miss. The inconvenience of needing to carry a purse when pockets would be more practical, the juggling of insurance cards and identification during already stressful medical visits, the accumulation of small daily difficulties that compound the larger challenge of fighting for one's life, these observations become the seeds of innovation and advocacy.

Breaking the Silence

In the early 1980s, breast cancer was still largely a taboo subject. Women whispered about diagnoses, and many suffered in silence without adequate support or resources. Susan G. Komen changed this narrative by bringing breast cancer into the public spotlight. The organization pioneered open conversations about the disease, encouraging women to talk about their experiences and seek the care they needed.

The iconic pink ribbon, now universally recognized as the symbol of breast cancer awareness, became synonymous with hope and solidarity. Through powerful campaigns and grassroots organizing, Komen helped transform breast cancer from a whispered fear into a rallying cry for action.

A Movement That Keeps Growing

Today's breast cancer advocacy landscape includes countless organizations and social enterprises founded by people who made similar promises to loved ones they lost. From major foundations to innovative startups, like the World Change Coalition, creating practical solutions for cancer patients, the commitment to turn personal grief into public good continues to drive progress.

Modern advocates are finding new ways to support patients through the entire journey, developing products that address daily challenges, creating support networks, and funding research. Some focus on the practical needs Nancy Brinker might never have considered, like clothing designed specifically for women undergoing treatment or financial support systems for families facing mounting medical bills.

The Continuing Legacy

Susan G. Komen continues to honor its namesake's memory by working toward a world without breast cancer, operating in more than 60 countries and funding local community programs while maintaining its commitment to research and advocacy. Since 1989, the five-year survival rate for breast cancer has increased from 74% to 91% when caught early, progress made possible by the collective efforts of countless individuals who turned their personal promises into public action.

These statistics are fantastic!!  As my mom often said, more work needs to be done for advanced metastatic breast cancer. Early detection is key, but not all women are fortunate to find breast cancer early on.

Susan Komen's legacy reminds us that from profound loss can come powerful purpose, and that one person's promise, whether made by a sister, a child, or anyone touched by this disease—can indeed change the world.

With your support, the World Change Coalition will continue to grow and create meaningful benefits to women facing the breast cancer journey, as well.

As always, I thank all of you who have supported the World Change Coalition by purchasing a pair of Cathy’s Jeans. 

I miss you always mom and love you!  Richie