Jan 23, 2007 2:46 pm US/Eastern
Susan G. Komen Foundation Marks 25th Anniversary
PHILADELPHIA
The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation is marking its 25th anniversary with a renewed and impassioned mission that incorporates a new name and logo, a $1 billion commitment and a host of initiatives designed to support its promise to end breast cancer forever. The organization's new name is Susan G. Komen for the Cure and will be represented by a new logo featuring a customized version of the ubiquitous pink ribbon.
In the 25 years since its inception, Komen for the Cure has successfully brought breast cancer out of the closet, changing how the world talks about and treats the disease. It has grown to become the world's largest grassroots network of survivors and activists, investing nearly $1 billion in the cause and turning breast cancer into a priority health issue for women, researchers, health professionals and politicians. Though the organization's promise to end breast cancer remains the same, the new name, logo and look represent the bolder stance Komen is taking toward fulfilling that promise.
"As the leader of the global breast cancer movement, Susan G. Komen for the Cure is drawing a line in the sand. We are literally on a mission to end breast cancer forever and it's high time we took ownership of the strides we've made and declare our uncompromising commitment. Our new name and logo leave no question about the only acceptable result of the work we do – we are Susan G. Komen for the Cure," said Komen founder Nancy G. Brinker, a breast cancer survivor. Brinker founded the organization in 1982 on a promise she made to her sister, Susan G. Komen, who died of breast cancer at age 36.
The decision to change the organization's name is the result of significant research that showed an opportunity to extend Komen's reach by linking the organization's name with its strongest asset – the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure® and its series of "for the Cure" trademarks. Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the pink ribbon icon pay homage to the inspiration behind Komen's legacy, serve as reminders that the lives of real women are at stake, define Komen's position and infuse it with a sense of urgency and hope.
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