Susan G. Komen for the Cure was founded on a promise made between two sisters – Susan G. Komen and Nancy Brinker. Suzy was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1978, when it was rarely discussed in public and little was known about the disease. Before she died at the age of 36, Suzy asked her sister to do everything possible to bring an end to breast cancer. Nancy kept her promise by establishing the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation in 1982 in Suzy’s memory.

Twenty years later, the Komen Foundation is a global leader in the fight against breast cancer through its support of innovative research and community-based outreach programs. Working through a network of U.S. and international Affiliates and events like the Komen Race for the Cure®, the Komen Foundation is fighting to eradicate breast cancer as a life-threatening disease by funding research grants, supporting education, screening and treatment projects in communities around the world.

Today, we celebrate the power of a promise and how a single person’s vision can make a difference in the lives of millions.