Komen West Virginia Affiliate

About Komen

Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever.

In 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure and launched the global breast cancer movement. Today, Komen for the Cure is the world's largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures. Thanks to events like the Komen Race for the Cure, we have invested nearly $1 billion to fulfill our promise, becoming the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world.

New name. New logo. Same vision. A world without breast cancer.

You may notice that we've changed our name - to Susan G. Komen for the Cure - and created a brand new logo to match. We hope you like the new look. Even more importantly, we want you to understand the motivation for this significant change.

Simply put, it's our anniversary. We're 25 this year, and we're shifting into another gear. With renewed urgency and inspiration. With an energized commitment to finally, once and for all, finish what we started.

Our new name and logo symbolize who we are and what we stand for. "Susan G. Komen" reminds us of Nancy G. Brinker's promise to her sister Susan to do everything in her power to spare other women and men the agony of breast cancer. "For the Cure" reaffirms our vision of a world without the disease. The name conveys the original promise quickly and simply...Susan G. Komen = the Cure.

As Susan G. Komen for the Cure, we'll continue to be the world's largest, boldest and most progressive grassroots network of survivors and activists, the only organization fighting to cure breast cancer at every stage. To date, we've invested $1 billion in research, education and health services. And because so many millions of people are counting on us to fulfill our promise, we will invest an additional $1 billion over the next decade to do just that.

Our Promise

Our name may have changed, but our promise has not: to save lives and end breast cancer forever by empowering people, ensuring quality care for all and energizing science to find the cures. Will you join us?

West Virginia Affiliate History

It's amazing what a few friends who have shared similar life experiences can do! The WV Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen foundation was founded just that way. Personal experience with a deadly disease, whether it is your mother, daughter, sister or friend, clearly establishes need and desire to eliminate the pain.
As a group (mildly coerced by one) we worked together to bring this entity to West Virginia. After months of fact-finding, statistic gathering, tears and laughter we were able to pull this together. The WV Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen foundation was a mere conversation of what if …… in the summer of 2000. The foundation became a reality in January of 2001 with the help of a Ford/BMW dealer and six passionate people the journey started. The founding board members were Kathleen Walker, Mylissa Spradling, Beth Elmore, Shelley Capito, Cecilia Baker and Cindy Heiskell.

West Virginia presents many geographic and economic challenges in the fight against breast cancer. We hope to be a major part of eradicating it from this earth. Through education, screening, treatment and research we can do just that!