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 $1.9 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 120 local Affiliate offices. At the heart of each Affiliate is a person or group of people who, like Susan, wanted to make a difference.

Komen Aspen
	Komen Aspen is a trusted local resource and one of the largest medical grant-making organizations for women living with breast cancer.  Komen encourages all women to be familiar with their own bodies and know their family medical history, understand their personal risk for breast cancer and make healthy lifestyle choices that may reduce their risk of breast cancer. During the last 22 years, the Aspen Affiliate has granted over $5 million dollars to fund a variety of necessary local breast cancer programs which support breast cancer education, treatment, screening including free mammograms, and survivor and support programs within its tri-county service area of Pitkin, Eagle & Garfield western Colorado.
(Michelle Bass, Sandy Israel, Joyce Harris & Claudia Curry-Hill)