Nancy Brinker

Above, the founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure (http://danisedelights.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/nancy-brinker.jpg)

Did you know that three short minutes is the equivalent of one woman getting diagnosed with breast cancer? Or that for women in the United States, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and in all cases of women’s cancer, more than one in four are this lethal sickness. Over the years, breast cancer has evolved to be a common life threatening disease to all women as more and more cases are getting diagnosed. However, throughout this epidemic, there has been one hero whose determination has made a difference in the lives of the millions of people affected by this disease. Nancy Brinker, founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, is worthy of the title: hero because of her ability to overcome her own personal problems and use it as fuel to motivate her to continue helping others. She has performed wonders in the cancer community; saving the lives of countless women and inspiring people with and without breast cancer to keep battling against this disease.

Nancy Brinker was born on December 6, 1946 in Peoria, Illinois. Growing up she always aspired to greatness; leading others not only with her humanitarian beliefs, but with her involvement in politics. Brinker’s mother ingrained the idea of helping those less fortunate than her at a very young age. (Frick) For example, “When she was just six years old, her and her sister organized a variety show to raise funds in the battle against polio.” (Frick) She later went on attending college at the University of Illinois where she expanded her political leadership skills being a member of the student senate and the president of her sorority. After she graduated from college she settled down with her first husband, Robert Leitstein, and started a family. In 1977 her sister, Susan, was diagnosed with breast cancer and died three years later after falsely being diagnosed as being cured. Her sister’s last request was to Nancy Brinker; telling her to help others with breast cancer so other women would not have to go what she went through. Two years later, Nancy Brinker founded Susan G. Komen in her sister’s honor. Now, this organization is the leading cancer charity; raising hundreds of millions of dollars hundreds of charities going towards the search for a cure and possible treatment plans. The government saw her ability to lead situations and take matters into her own hands and saw a future of Brinker working with them. In 1986 Brinker was appointed to the National Cancer Advisory Board by President Reagan. In 1990 she was chosen by President George H.W. Bush to run the President’s Cancer Panel and monitor the progress of National Cancer Program. In 2001, George W. Bush selected Nancy to be the US ambassador to Hungary, allowing her the opportunity to make her vision of a breast cancer-less world international and not just confined to the United States. (Brinker, Nancy G. (1946-).

Above: President Obama awarding Brinker with Meda (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6bfjWEs_0P4/SoRGYcZTgII/AAAAAAAACr0/VGSyRQyYSw0/s400/obama+and+nancy.jpg)

In order to be even considered a hero, you have to demonstrate the personal strength to conquer your own problems to continue inspiring others who are in desperate need of your help. Nancy Brinker’s determination not only helps others overcome obstacles, but it helped her defeat her own during times of great personal adversity. For example, during the rough period of time when her sister, Susan, was diagnosed with breast cancer and was going through treatments, “Brinker made countless trips between Dallas (where she was currently residing), and Peoria to be with her sister, though at the time Brinker, herself, was going through a divorce and had a young son to care for.” (Frick) Brinker put aside her own individual problems to help her sister in her time of need. During this time of struggle, Brinker acted selflessly sacrificing her own emotional wellbeing to carry out her responsibilities of being a committed mother and dedicated sister. Though it would have been easy for her to take time for herself to handle her divorce or deal with her sister, she understood that there were more significant factors to be dealt with and that her needs were not the most imperative at the time. Three years of watching her sister battle breast cancer, gave Nancy an accurate view of what the disease was capable of, but she never thought that she would experience the flip side of actually having breast cancer herself. However in 1982, when Brinker was beginning to feel triumphant that she had started fulfilling her sister’s final requests, she detected a lump in her breast which turned out to be cancerous. “She took an aggressive approach to her treatment. According to the Oregonian’s Leslie Barker, Brinker, upon learning of her diagnosis, screamed at her doctor: “I want them both off me today! Get them off me!” (Brinker qtd in Oregonian qtd by Frick). “Part of Brinker’s success comes from her charming, yet aggressive, never-take-no-for-an-answer bulldozing approach to life.” (Frick). Because of Brinker’s outlook on life, she was able to not only able to overcome a mastectomy and several rounds of chemotherapy, but she was able to completely beat breast cancer so she could continue supporting others with the sickness through her organization, Susan G. Komen for the Cure. After actually having breast cancer, she was bald and weakened as a result. However Nancy had found a new desire to help others overcome the disease. With her newly established fortitude she transformed her minute organization of 200 participants into the charity empire it is today drawing more than one million participants. She overcame the threat of having cancer, and used the experience to further motivate her to help all those affected by breast cancer. Nancy Brinker is one of the few people who are capable of overcoming their problems and using them to encourage those whose problems are greater.

Above: Nancy Brinker at one of her sponsored race (http://www.uiaa.org/illinois/news/illinoisalumni/images/0405_brinker_race.jpg)

Because of all the innovations made in the field of cancer as a result of her efforts, Nancy Brinker is leaving the world in better condition than she found it. Her organization, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, has done wonders to minimize the effects of breast cancer to the best of her ability. “Brinker’s ultimate goal is to eradicate breast cancer; however, she would be satisfied if breast cancer lost its status as a killer and simply became a “manageable” disease.” (Frick). In order to accomplish their aspiration, Brinker has guided the organization in funding over $750 million dollars, making it the leading charity battling the disease. (Frick) All of the money raised is donated to help research, and find treatments and cures. Over the years, the money raised has been extremely beneficial to those fighting breast cancer while simultaneously saving the lives of numerous women. Susan G. Komen for the Cure has matured to be such an influential charity, that “There is hardly an advance in the science of breast cancer that hasn’t been touched by a Komen grant,” Brinker told BusinessWeek’s Catherine Arnst. “That is what I am most proud of.” (Nancy Brinker quoted in Business Week, quoted by Frick). Brinker’s humanitarian empire has become so vast that it impacts the whole cancer community. Without their determination and demand for success, research and cures for cancer would be hindered and in the dark compared to the modern day advancements in breast cancer that can all be traced back to Brinker. “The five-year survival rate has leaped from 74 to 98 percent. Some 2.5 million women - and some men too - can now call themselves breast cancer survivors.” (Brinker, Nancy. “Debating Mammograms”). Because of all the advancements in the world of breast cancer attributable to Nancy Brinker, millions of lives have been saved; allowing her to leave mark and make a difference in the world.

Ultimately, Nancy Brinker is a hero because she inspires millions of women to keep fighting breast cancer. After defeating breast cancer herself, Brinker wrote the book The Race is Run One Step at a Time to help guide others fighting the disease and give them courage. She also was appointed by President George W. Bush to be the United States’ ambassador to Hungary, where breast cancer is the second leading cause of death of all women. This gave Brinker the opportunity she needed to make her dream of a breast cancer-less world international, as opposed to confined to the United States. She has helped women in foreign countries, where breast cancer is misunderstood and considered shameful, realize that it isn’t a death sentence, and if they remain optimistic that they can overcome anything. She is an inspiration to all women and helps them realize that they are not fighting this battle alone. With over one billion people participating in the hundreds of charities, fundraisers and sponsored races organized exclusively to helping women beat breast cancer, it helps give women the sentiment that they are not single-handedly fighting this daunting illness, even if they are all alone. Because she herself, and her loved ones have gone through dealing with this cancer, there is no one better to help guide and give other women confidence while fighting this disease. She has impacted, inspired, and saved lives; signifying just how much she has bettered the world. “Nancy Brinker is known worldwide for her compassion and outreach. She advocates women’s health issues and speaks on the importance of patient’s rights and medical advancements in breast cancer research and treatment,” says Pohl. “She is a hero to all those affected one way or another by breast cancer- which is all of us.” (Short).