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By Komen Denver, January 27, 2012 10:57 am

After the age of 40, it is recommended that women have an annual mammogram.

A recent study found that only 50 % of insured women over the age of 40 had completed their annual mammogram. As a whole, we can do better than that.  Remembering your annual mammogram or clinical breast exam may help save your life. Starting at the age of 20, it is recommended that women at normal risk for breast cancer get a clinical breast exam at least every 3 years, and once you are 40, you should have an annual mammogram.

To help, we have developed a tool that will keep track of when you’re due for a mammogram or clinical breast exam. It is as simple as enrolling for a reminder and picking which month you need to be reminded in. After that, you will receive an annual email reminding you to schedule your appointment. To sign up, simply click here. The form takes less than one minute to fill out, and could help you or your loved ones in the early detection of breast cancer.

It is important to keep up with your appointments. Aside from skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the US and only 5 to 10 percent of breast cancers diagnosed within the US are inherited genetic mutations.

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By Komen Denver, January 20, 2012 11:42 am

Alexis with Ambassador Nancy G. Brinker, Founder and CEO of Susan G. Komen for the Cure

Alexis Yennie Baker is just 27 years young. As a Denver Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure® volunteer over the past 6 years, she has made a commitment to herself and to the organization to help reach the next generation with breast cancer education, awareness and action.  Baker wanted to become a part of a group that empowered women to take care of their health, and for her it all started with simply signing up to hand out brochures at the annual Komen Denver Race for the Cure, held the first Sunday of October at the Pepsi Center. Her participation in that first event has since evolved into a passionate partnership.

As the head of the Young Women’s Group, one of seven proactive groups that make up the Komen Denver Education Committee, Baker is responsible for activities ranging from organizing a Pink Basketball game to hosting breast cancer awareness sessions for women in High Schools and Universities. This year, the Young Women’s Group is also helping to put on the 1^st Annual Pink Rodeo at the National Western Stockshow that will take place this Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 11:00am. Komen Denver will receive $2.00 for every ticket sold through a special Komen group offer. Click here to purchase tickets. The Young Women’s Group can’t wait to watch the bull riders master the arena dressed all in pink!

In 2011, Komen Denver Affiliate was honored to work alongside 500+ dedicated men and women that, like Alexis, volunteered for activities ranging from community education to fundraising activities. Volunteers provide the core strength of our organization. In addition to the Young Women’s Group, other Affiliate Education Groups include:  the African American Group, the Regional Strategies Group, Underserved Populations Group, LGBT Group, Speakers Group and Health Fair Group. The audience and activities of each group varies, however the common goal is to empower people of all ages, ethnicities and lifestyles with knowledge of breast health and cancer.

The fight is not over. The need for volunteers is great and it is our hope that you join in helping us to realize our vision of a world without breast cancer.  If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, the first step is to attend an orientation session. The next session takes place on Saturday, January 28^th. If you’re interested in joining, please contact Rhianon Schuman, Mission Coordinator, for additional details at RSchuman@komendenver.org.

What is Bakers’ advice for potential volunteers? “Just go for it. The perception is that the program is vast and it’s difficult to know where to start. That first step will bring the next one. And at Komen Denver, the more you give, the more you get.”

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By Komen Denver, January 13, 2012 10:45 am

Copyright 2011 Sharon Arnoldi

What we have built together with our volunteers, our supporters, our racers and our survivors over the past 20 years is awe-inspiring.  Together we have been at the forefront of working towards ending breast cancer forever. Last year at the Komen Denver Race for the Cure® alone, we recruited almost 50,000 participants, who helped us to raise over $3 million to help thousands of medically underserved women receive access to life-saving breast health and cancer services.

We could not have achieved what we did over the past 20 years without the support of our community in Denver, and we have much to celebrate this year.

• In the Komen Denver Affiliate service area the mortality rate from breast cancer has decreased by 39.9% since 1998
• The five year survival rate for early stage breast cancer is now 98% percent compared to 74% in 1982
• Thousands of women and men have been helped by Komen Denver grants. Since our inception, we have invested  $28 million for breast cancer screening, treatment and support services into 85 community health organizations

We have made much progress, but have much more to do. A recent study found that only 50% of insured women ages 40 and older are having an annual mammogram. Despite our progress in treatment, more than 39,500 women (the population of Littleton, CO) and 450 men will die from breast cancer this year alone.

It will take all of our efforts to end this disease. There are many ways that you can get involved in the fight against breast cancer- get screened, volunteer and/or support us at one of the events below:

Mark Your Calendars! Komen Denver will be hosting our signature events, Komen Denver Race for the Cure and a Pink Tie Affair. The Race for the Cure will take place on Sunday, October 7^th, 2012 and a Pink Tie Affair will take place on Saturday, October 27^th at the Sheraton Hotel Denver.

Join the Rodeo! The National Western Stock Show will be hosting a Pink Rodeo in Denver on Saturday, January 21^st at 11am. Komen Denver will receive $2.00 for every ticket sold through a special Komen group offer. Purchase tickets here.

Go for a Snowy Romp. Don’t miss the Tubbs Snowshoes Romp to Stomp Out Breast Cancer  on Saturday, March 3^rd in Frisco Colorado. You can choose to either compete in the 3k race or participate in the 5k walk. Gather your Race team members, friends and family and get ready to romp through the beautiful Rockies with thousands of pink-a-holics! Register here.

Start Training for a Tri. Make your healthy New Year’s resolutions a reality and start training for the Tri for the Cure. The event takes place on Saturday, August 5^th – giving you plenty of time to mentally and physically prepare for the challenge. Learn more here.

Rock ‘n’ Roll Denver ½ and Full Marathon. Join us on September 22, 2012 for a long run where you will enjoy the true Colorado beauty, while experiencing the energy and excitement of an urban course – all during the most spectacular time of the year! And if you are not familiar with Denver’s landscape, the course is essentially flat with little to no elevation change.  Click here for more information about how you can join us!

Year Round Events.  Go Passionately Pink for the Cure® and turn your passion into action!  Passionately Pink is a fun and easy fundraising program that raises breast cancer awareness, inspires advocacy and honors those affected by the disease. The premise is simple: Go pink to fight breast cancer! For more information on how to host your own Passionately Pink Party click here.

If hosting a party is not your cup of tea, get involved in Rally for the Cure®. Rally is a grassroots program dedicated to spreading awareness through volunteer organized golf, tennis and dining events. Rally brings the breast cancer awareness message to active women and men, and helps raise the needed funds to continue our fight against breast cancer. Visit www.rallyforthecure.com and find out more about the program and how you can tee off against breast cancer!

Please join us on Facebook & Twitter for regular updates on Komen Denver activities and events. Thank you for a great 2011 and we look forward to partnering with you to make 2012 our greatest year yet!

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By Komen Denver, December 30, 2011 3:37 pm

Registration is Now Open

Did you have a great time participating in the Komen Denver Race for the Cure this year? Can’t wait a whole year to join your friends, have fun and help to end breast cancer forever? We have the solution for you…. early registration for the Tubbs Romp to Stomp 2012 is now open!

Gather your Race team members, friends and family and get ready to romp through the beautiful Rockies with thousands of other pink-a-holics. The Romp to Stomp is a family-friendly, festive 3k race or 5k walks in snowshoes.  The event series has grown every year and now is the largest snowshoe series in the world.  Join us on Saturday, March 3, 2012 in Frisco Colorado.

Click here for more information or to register.

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By Komen Denver, December 13, 2011 11:03 am

Warm Holiday Wishes From All of Us To All of You

The staff of Denver Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure would like to sincerely thank all our volunteers, donors, participants, supporters, survivors and families for helping us to save lives in our community this year.  We wish you a joyful Holiday Season and look forward to all of the great things we can accomplish together in 2012.

Happy Holidays from the Komen Denver Affiliate!

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By Komen Denver, November 30, 2011 12:51 pm

Organization Urges Aggressive Research into Treatments for Advanced and Metastatic Cancers

DALLAS – November 18, 2011 – Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, the world’s largest breast cancer organization, issued the following statement today from Komen president Elizabeth Thompson about the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s decision removing Avastin from the list of approved drugs for the treatment of advanced and metastatic breast cancer:

“We know that this decision was a difficult one for the FDA and respect the length of time they spent deliberating the many issues that impact patients.

As a patient advocacy organization, we want to ensure that women who are successfully using Avastin today continue to have access to the drug, and that their treatment be covered by third-party payers.

This decision underscores the need for aggressive research to develop treatments that will allow women to live full, high-quality lives even with advanced and metastatic breast cancers. At the same time, we encourage continued research into biomarkers that will help identify which patients will or will not benefit from certain treatments.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure has invested $25.5 million to metastatic research in the past five years alone and $685 million to breast cancer research since we opened our doors in 1982. As a patient advocacy organization, we call on all stakeholders — government, private industry, academia and the nonprofit community — to help develop treatments that are more personalized in nature, hopefully with fewer or measured toxicities, and to make these available to patients as safely and as quickly as possible.”

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By Komen Denver, November 22, 2011 1:56 pm

More than 850 attendees, more than $375,000 raised

2011 Pink Tie Affair Co-Chairs: Kristin Battenfield and Shawn Miller. Photo courtesy of Geoff Ridenour

The 2011 Pink Tie Affair was an amazing evening. A special thanks to the Pink Tie Committee for all of their hard work throughout the year. Pink Tie raised more than $375,000 and we had more than 850 people join us for dinner, casino games, entertainment and dancing on November 12, 2011 at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel. Sincere thanks to everyone who joined us.

Photographs from the event are available to view on our Facebook page.

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By Komen Denver, November 17, 2011 3:07 pm

4th Annual Komen Denver Ambassador Award

Our Ambassador Award is given each year to acknowledge an individual whose generous support and activities have significantly assisted the Komen Denver Affiliate in advancing our mission.  We are happy to announce Bob Shaw, Executive Vice President for Great-West Life, has been selected as the recipient of the 4th Annual Komen Denver Ambassador Award!

Bob became involved with Komen Denver Affiliate along with his company, Great-West Life where he serves as Executive Vice President, at the very first Komen Denver Race for the Cure®.  He has participated in all 19 races. In 1997, the fight against breast cancer became personal for Bob, Lori and their two sons, Derek and Kevin.  Bob lost his Mom to breast cancer that year.  Two years later, Lori was diagnosed with breast cancer.  Lori fought a long, hard fight and they are happy and proud to now call her a 12 year survivor. Bob served on the Board of Directors of Komen Denver Affiliate for six years. Bob remains active in his support of Komen Denver and its mission to save lives and end breast cancer forever!

We were  honored to present the Ambassador Award to Bob Shaw at our 2011 Pink Tie Affair that was held on November 12 at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel!

View pictures from the Pink Tie Affair on the Denver Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure‘s Facebook page.

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By Komen Denver, November 10, 2011 11:19 am

Colorado Gives Day

On December 6, visit Denver Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure on GivingFirst.org, an online resource that features hundreds of Colorado charities. Learn about our programs, how we are helping our community, and donate online directly to us. When you donate through GivingFirst.org, 100 percent of your donation comes to Komen Denver Affiliate (credit card processing fees will be covered by Community First Foundation and sponsors). Tell your friends and family — no more stamps, no more envelopes — simply donate online.

Go to www.GivingFirst.org/Komen on December 6th. From all of us at Komen Denver Affiliate thank you in advance for your support!

When
24 hours starting at 12 a.m. on Tuesday, December 6, 2011

How
Online through GivingFirst.org

Why
To support Komen Denver in our vital mission to save lives and end breast cancer forever.

GivingFirst.org is made possible by Community First Foundation, a Denver-based nonprofit. As part of their mission to encourage philanthropy in our communities, the Foundation covers all credit card processing fees on donations made through GivingFirst.org.

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By Komen Denver, November 2, 2011 10:22 am

Author: Margaret Moran

National President of LULAC

Huffington Post  10/20/11

“I wonder if this is anything I should worry about.” This thought has crossed the minds of many women I know and love. Regardless of your socio-economic background or ethnicity, breast cancer is a frightening word loaded with “what ifs.” For many of us with access to medical and adequate health coverage, our worries are rested after a doctor visit or screening shows we are cancer free. However, for women who lack the luxury of health coverage, early detection becomes a luxury they cannot afford.

More than 14,000 of the estimated 200,000 cases of breast cancer expected in the U.S. this year will occur among the Latina population; more than 2,200 women of Latin origin will die. In order to stem breast cancer deaths in women in the nation’s fastest-growing population group, screening, education and support programs are critical. The latest statistics show that with early detection, breast cancer can be beaten in 99 percent of all cases.

Yet, according to recent studies, the majority of Latinas are diagnosed in Stage 4. Hispanic women show lower breast cancer screening rates than non-Hispanic/Latina White women and tend to seek and attain health care services less frequently than other ethnic groups. However, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Hispanic/Latina women.
Recent data indicates a hard truth that is too often ignored. Although, Hispanic women are less likely to have mammogram screenings and more likely to be diagnosed at later stages of breast cancer, they in fact have lower breast cancer rates (83.5 per 100,000) but are more likely to die from the disease. Studies consistently show that low income, low educational attainment, lack of health insurance, inability to speak English, lack of awareness of breast cancer risks and screening methods, acculturation level and lack of physician referral play important roles in the lower rates of screening utilization by Hispanic/Latina women.
Organizations like Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, the world’s leading breast cancer organization, are initiating major new outreach to dramatically improve cancer screening, education and outreach in the Latina community. In the last two years alone, Susan G. Komen has awarded more than $76 million in grants benefitting Latinas across the country. In this effort, LULAC can be instrumental because of our commitment to offer support in this outreach.

When I was a young girl, we didn’t talk about breast cancer. Now, we must not only talk about it, but be sure that all women have access to proper screenings and treatments. We need to ensure that Hispanic women have the knowledge and medical care to put an end to this disease. Breast cancer affects everyone, not just the person diagnosed. Likewise, everyone needs to do their part to minimize the risks within our community.