Komen Research: Saving Lives, Discovering Unknowns

As we celebrate 25 Years as a Susan G. Komen Affiliate, we reflect on all of the lives we have touched, thanks to the support of generous donors, dedicated researchers, volunteers, staff and more. Every day in Orange County, more than five women are diagnosed with breast cancer and one woman is taken by the disease. To decrease these upsetting statistics, research is as important as ever, because we can’t get rid of this horrible disease until we know what causes it and how we can prevent it. That’s why 25 percent of funds we raise directly support breast cancer research, resulting in $889 million+ invested and making Komen the largest nonprofit funder of breast cancer outside of the U.S. federal government.  The remaining 75 percent of funds stay right here, to benefit Orange County individuals.

Susan G. Komen’s research programs are essential in achieving our mission of saving lives and we are committed to eradicating breast cancer by empowering researchers, energizing science to discover a cure, and ensuring quality care for those who need it. Today, our research dollars are helping us learn everything we can about breast cancer, including:

• Immunotherapies—relatively new and promising breast cancer treatment that uses the body’s own immune system to fight cancer
• Precision medicine—individualizing and customizing treatment selections for each patient
• Targeted therapies—unlike standard chemotherapy—which kills both cancer and normal cells—targeted therapies attack specific molecules that cancer cells use to grow, divide and spread
• Metastatic breast cancer—in the 1970s, only 10 percent of women survived five years after a diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer. Today, because of research and the discovery of more effective treatments, this number has increased to 25 percent

To learn more about the advancements Komen has made in breast cancer research since its inception, visit: http://sgk.mn/1U66bzN.

Interested in raising money for breast cancer research and quality health care? Register today for our 25^th Anniversary Race for the Cure on Sept. 25! Sign up before July 31 and receive our $25 early-bird anniversary price: komenoc.org/race. When you donate an additional $25 to Komen OC, you will receive a limited edition 25^th Anniversary medal.

Want to learn more about the difference Komen OC is making in our community? Here’s a touching story about 8-year-old Brandon Collins who raised more than $1,000 for the fight against breast cancer: http://bit.ly/29U1GZh.