HRH Princess Margriet of the Netherlands, Sec. Commerce Gary Locke, Komen Founder Amb. Nancy G. Brinker, Komen Global Ambassador David Rubenstein, Singer Tim Halperin and Celebrity Trainer Holly Perkins Join Racers to Make Big Impact on Breast Cancer Fight
WASHINGTON, D.C. – June 4, 2011 – They came to honor a loved one, to celebrate survival and to make a big impact in a united fight against breast cancer. In the end, nearly 40,000 people descended on the National Mall to participate in the 22nd running of the Susan G. Komen Global Race for the Cure® in Washington, D.C. Today’s event raised more than $5 million to fund breast cancer programs for women in need throughout the National Capital Area and across the globe.
Ambassador Nancy G. Brinker, Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s founder and CEO charged up the crowd, noting that the sea of pink making their way up the National Mall was a bold statement by this community that we will not rest until our promise to end breast cancer forever is fulfilled.
“If my sister Suzy were here today, she would take joy in the inspiration you provide. She’d take pride that in a politically divided city, there is unity on this issue. She’d take comfort in the fact that hopes are high, and that a cure is near,” said Brinker.
In addition to the tens of thousands of area residents who turned out for this morning’s festivities, the Komen Global Race inspired 45 congressional offices to form teams for this year’s Race. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA), whose Connolly’s Cruisers team won Politico’s “State of Pink” largest Hill team challenge for the second year in a row, was among the Members of Congress who joined their office teams in person for the event. Connolly’s Cruisers ran the Race in memory of Jessica, the late spouse of a senior member of his staff who lost her battle with breast cancer earlier this year. Rep. Mike Honda’s (D-CA) Jennifer’s Joggers team won the challenge for top Hill fundraisers, raising more than $10,000.
The Obama Administration was represented at the Race by Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, who was recently tapped to be the new U.S. Ambassador to China. He was joined by 36 teams from different parts of the federal government. There were also 9 teams representing area civic government agencies
Thanks to the Global Race, Komen is able to impact the lives of breast cancer patients in the National Capital Area as well as women across the globe. Up to 75 percent of today’s Race revenue remains in the D.C. area.
Thanks largely to funds raised by the 2010 Global Race, Komen announced earlier this year a record $4.5 million investment in local breast cancer education, screening and treatment programs throughout the National Capital Area, including Washington, D.C., and parts of Virginia and Maryland.
As it is estimated that during the next 25 years 11 million will die from the disease worldwide, more than AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined, this Race also had a distinctly global focus. A quarter of the funds raised will go to help Komen’s work around the globe, sharing knowledge and experience and to funding education and breast health services in regions where few exist. To that end, 34 diplomatic agencies and embassies from Italy to Ghana sponsored Race teams this year. The team from the Netherlands was joined by Princess Margriet, who addressed the crowd noting the importance of our global fight.
“Breast cancer is the leading cancer killer of women worldwide, claiming the life of a woman every 69 seconds,” noted Brinker. “This is a global race, because we have a global and growing fight.”
The morning’s festivities, emceed by W*USA’s Andrea Roane, WASH-FM’s Maureen McLain and WTOP’s Man About Town Bob Madigan, opened with a Survivor Parade featuring more than 3,100 breast cancer survivors and 16 international flag bearers who marched onto the mall to a live performance of “We Fight Back,” an inspiring song by singer and American Idol semifinalist Tim Halperin. Celebrity fitness trainer Holly Perkins helped warm up the crowd as they prepared for the morning’s 5k walk.
Prior to the Race, Komen honored the 2011 Survivor of the Year Karen Rudderow, a 30-year breast cancer survivor from Philadelphia and Co-Survivor of the Year Marshall Moneymaker, a Montgomery County firefighter who lost all three of his sisters to breast cancer between 2008 and 2010.
After the Race start, nearly 1,700 kids made their own impact on the disease with Kids for the Cure®, Komen’s special Race day program for children ages 5-12 that includes activities and a child-sized run.
The National Presenting Sponsor of the Komen Race for the Cure Series is Yoplait®, and the National Series Sponsors are American Airlines, Bank of America, Caltrate, Ford Division, New Balance, RE/MAX®, SELF and Walgreens. Georgia-Pacific sponsors the Quilted Northern Volunteer Recognition Program and the Zeta Tau Alpha Fraternity sponsors the Breast Cancer Survivor Recognition Program.
