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

The Peoria Memorial Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure® holds two distinctions that no other Komen Affiliate can claim.  They host the second oldest Race in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure® Series – celebrating their 25th Anniversary in 2010 - and Peoria is hometown of Suzy and Nancy. The tie between the Affiliate and the Goodman family is very strong.  Ellie Goodman, mother of Suzy and Nancy, served on the Board of Directors for many years.  Eric Brinker is just beginning his first term of service on the Board.  Since 2002 the Affiliate has leased its office suite in the Metro Centre Mall which is owned and managed by the Goodman Family.

Linda Washkuhn, long-time personal friend of Suzy, founder of the Komen Peoria Memorial Affiliate, has served in various Race/Affiliate leadership positions and currently serves as an advisor to the Board. Lastly, the Peoria community’s pride in the Race and Suzy is clearly illustrated by fact that the city renamed one of the main streets along the Race course in her honor.

Proceeds from the Komen Race for the Cure Series fund both national research efforts and local breast health education and breast cancer out-reach programs.  A majority of the net proceeds fund community projects related to breast health education, screening and treatment and are based on the specific needs of each community as determined by local Komen for the Cure Affiliates.  (75% of Susan G. Komen Peoria Race for the Cure® dollars supports awareness, education, screening and treatment services in the Central Illinois area and 25% helps fund the national grant program.) The Komen for the Cure National Grant Program has provided much-needed funding for groundbreaking breast cancer research and for innovative projects in the areas of breast health education and breast cancer screening and treatment. In 2009, there will be more than 100 Races throughout the nation with more than one million expected to participate.

Since its first granting period, the Komen Peoria Memorial Affiliate has awarded over $6,968,854 to local organizations to support breast cancer screening, education and awareness.  The Affiliate’s service area includes Fulton, Hancock, Knox, Marshall, Mason, McDonough, Peoria, Stark, Tazewell, and Woodford counties. The majority of these funds are raised by virtue of the annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure®, the largest fundraising event of its kind in Peoria history.