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 121 local Affiliate offices. At the heart of each Affiliate is a person or group of people who, like Susan, wanted to make a difference.

Pittsburgh Affiliate Story

The first Komen Pittsburgh Race for the Cure®, held in 1993, was organized by National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) volunteers Laurie Moser, Eileen Lane and Pat Siger.  The Pittsburgh Race was locally organized by NCJW from 1993 to 2005.  It has become an annual Mother's Day tradition for thousands of residents from the tri-state area. The National Council of Jewish Women continued to organize the race as one of many programs they sponsor until 2005 when Pittsburgh became an Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

What began with a goal of attracting 1,000 participants in its first year has grown into an event to celebrate and remember special women in the lives of more than 36,000 individuals, and it is now in its 19th year.  As we continue to meet the changing needs of the community we serve, our PROMISE remains same: to save lives and end breast cancer forever by empowering people, ensuring quality of care for all and energizing science to find the cures.
Each year, the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Pittsburgh Affiliate is the recipient of hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations from individuals, corporations and foundations. These contributors invest their money and their faith in us, trusting that we will allocate their generous gifts as grants to the organizations and programs that best serve our community.

In addition to the millions of dollars in funding for the Mammogram Voucher Program and education and outreach programs throughout the 30 counties we serve, race funds have been used to purchase portable mammography equipment, fund fellowships in women’s imaging, and fund scholarships for technicians administering mammograms.  Additionally, the Affiliate funds programs to reach out to underserved populations.