Nancy Brinker is the founder of the organization "Susan G. Komen for the Cure", a highly-recognized, high-grossing non-profit foundation whose funds are used for finding a cure for breast cancer. In existence for 25 years, it is the manifestation of Nancy's promise to her sister Susan to find a cure for this disease.
But who exactly was the woman that Nancy has worked 25 years to honor? Susan G. Komen, her older sister, was just an ordinary person who unfortunately developed aggressive breast cancer in her 30's. Her story could be any woman's plight.
Susan G. Komen: the Early Years
According to her sister Nancy, Susan Goodman or "Suzy" was a doting older sister who helped her adjust to the emotional challenges of adolescence. While Nancy professes that she was tall, awkward, and a bit of a tomboy, her older sister Suzy was poised, pretty, and ready for anything thrown her way.
Susan went away to college, but returned to her native Peoria, Illinois and married her college sweetheart, Stan Komen. Meanwhile, Nancy went off to college and decided to venture to Dallas, Texas to start a new life. The sisters stayed in constant touch.
Susan G. Komen was Diagnosed with Breast Cancer
It was the mid 1970's when Susan Komen, 33, was diagnosed with a malignant lump in her breast. At the time, the mention of cancer was taboo. People didn't openly talk about it. Nancy stresses that since not much was publicized about the disease, many patients didn't know to go to specialists or to get second opinions. She said Susan made some mistakes in treatment that were unknown then, but common knowledge now: not seeking a cancer specialist, not getting a second opinion, and putting total faith in a doctor who promised to "cure" her. Komen had a subcutaneous mastectomy (with an implant added), but the cancer returned within six months.
Komen went to the Mayo Clinic next, and learned that her breast cancer had spread to one of her lungs and an armpit. She received radiation therapy but the cancer continued to aggressively spread.
Komen then sought treatment at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. At this point she was a stage IV patient (the most serious kind. The cancer had spread to distant organs in her body.) She then received chemotherapy, an aggressive remedy that resulted in hair loss, vomiting, and overall weakness.
For fifteen more months, Susan Komen fought the aggressive cancer, and she told her sister Nancy that she wanted to help other women who had this horrible disease. She wanted to start a fundraising program to work towards the cure.
Susan's Fight Ended and a Legacy Began
After three years of battle, Susan G. Komen died from aggressive, metastatic breast cancer, but her sister Nancy honored her memory and her wish to help other women by starting and heading The Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation, which has been active for 25 years and has raised millions of dollars towards breast cancer research. Hopefully this will result in a cure.
Reference: Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation
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