History

Susan G. Komen fought breast cancer with her heart, body and soul. Throughout her diagnosis, treatments, and endless days in the hospital, she spent her time thinking of ways to make life better for other women battling breast cancer instead of worrying about her own situation. Moved by Susan’s compassion for others and commitment to making a difference, Nancy G. Brinker promised her sister that she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer.

Though Susan lost her battle with the disease, her legacy lives on through the work of Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, the organization Nancy started in her honor. Komen for the Cure is the global leader of the breast cancer movement, having invested more than $1 billion since its inception in 1982. Komen’s promise is to save lives and end breast cancer forever by empowering people, ensuring quality care for all and energizing science to find the cures.
Across the country, that promise is upheld by a network of 122 local Affiliate offices. At the heart of each Affiliate is a person or group of people who, like Susan, wanted to make a difference.

Northeastern Pennsylvania Affiliate story

20 years ago, the Komen NEPA Race for the Cure® has won the region's heart and became the city's largest 5K event. The Komen Race is a September tradition in Northeastern Pennsylvania with mothers, daughters, families and men joining together in the fight against breast cancer. Since our inception more that 80,000 participants raced or walked with us helping to raise more than one million dollars for education, early detection screening, research, and treatment programs. With your help, we've been able to provide much needed breast services for medically underserved and uninsured women and men in Northeastern Pennsylvania since the first race began in September 1991. With your support, this year we hope to continue to further our mission to eradicate breast cancer.

When a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, she should never have to walk alone. We walk because we can't walk away.