Today is an exciting day. Denver spoke and we were heard.  With your help and the help from other Affiliates we won our fight. National is reversing their decision. Your passion and commitment helped our Affiliate to continue our mission to bring life-saving care for women in Colorado.

As you are hearing in the news, Ambassador Brinker apologized to the American public for recent decisions that cast doubt upon our commitment to our mission of saving women’s lives.

National is amending the grants criteria to make clear that disqualifying investigations must be criminal and conclusive in nature ensuring  that politics have no place in our grant process.

Komen will continue to fund existing grants, including those of Planned Parenthood, and preserve their eligibility to apply for future grants, while maintaining the ability of the affiliates to make funding decisions that meet the needs of their community.

We invite everyone who has participated in this conversation across Denver and the country over the last few days to help us move past this issue. We want to refocus our attention on our mission and get back to doing our work to save lives in our community and end breast cancer forever.

We extend our deepest thanks for the outpouring of support we have received from so many in the past few days and we sincerely hope these changes will be welcomed by those who have expressed their concern.

Once again thank you for your support.

The Denver Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure appreciates the outpouring of concern from our passionate supporters, volunteers and community members and values each and every opinion. The decision on granting strategy and performance criteria was made on a national level and the Komen Denver Affiliate was not part of this decision.

When the Denver Affiliate first learned of the change in grants strategy, which effectively disqualified Planned Parenthood as a grantee, we immediately requested and were granted an exemption to this policy for the grant cycle beginning April 1, 2012 through March 31, 2013 pending the Grant Review Committee and Board of Directors approval of their grant application. This was the first step in our fight to reverse this decision.

We believe Affiliates should be able to make local decisions that best serve their communities.

We need your help in changing this policy. We can’t do it alone. Please join us. Send the  email message below to Ambassador Nancy G. Brinker at news@komen.org   and tell her to reverse their decision and allow local Affiliates the right to determine what is best for their communities.

We have funded Planned Parenthood consistently since 2009. Each year, their grant was reviewed by the Community Review Panel and recommended for funding by the Affiliate’s Board of Directors. Planned Parenthood is a strong partner of Komen Denver Affiliate in ensuring women have access to breast cancer screening.

Each year, 75 percent of the net proceeds from the Komen Denver Affiliate’s fundraising go to local programs. In the past 20 years, Komen Denver Affiliate has invested more than $28 million in Colorado communities. If your concern is where your money goes, your donation may remain 100% local by simply notifying us of your intent.

Komen Denver Affiliate is dedicated to supporting low income and uninsured individuals in our community and we will continue to help ensure that all women have access to quality breast health care.

Thank you for joining us in our effort to reverse National’s decision.

Message

Reverse your decision and allow funding of Planned Parenthood!

Dear Ambassador Brinker,

As a passionate (supporter, survivor, volunteer, donor) committed to saving lives and ending breast cancer forever, I am writing to ask you to reverse your decision, which effectively disqualifies Planned Parenthood as a Komen grant recipient.

Planned Parenthood provides the entrance for many medically underserved women in our community to gain access to life-saving breast health screenings. They are an important partner in providing breast health services in Colorado.

We support Komen Denver Affiliate in their efforts to fight this decision and ask National to allow local Affiliates to make funding decisions that are right for their communities. Last year alone, Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains diagnosed 19% of the 29 breast cancers found by Komen Denver Affiliate funded screening programs.

I hope that I can count on you to reconsider and make saving the lives of the women in my community your top priority!

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State ZIP]

The Denver Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure® has been granted an exception for the Affiliate to fund Planned Parenthood for the grant cycle April 1, 2012 through March 31, 2013 pending the Grant Review Committee and Board of Directors approval of their grant application.

The Affiliate closely monitors all grantees to guarantee the awarded funds are used as intended and NOT used outside the scope of our promise to end breast cancer. The monitoring includes 6-month, 9-month and final reports; site visit; and quarterly coalition meetings.

This year the Colorado’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program, the Women’s Wellness Connection Program (WWC), suffered a budget reduction and nearly 5,500 women will not be able to access services through this life-saving program and 85 cancers may go undiagnosed. The community is looking to Komen Denver Affiliate to provide the services the state can no longer fund.

In 2010, the Affiliate grant awarded to Planned Parenthood was responsible for finding 19% of the breast cancers discovered through Komen dollars. Also, they provided breast health/cancer education to 2,264 women, 601 clinical breast examinations and referred and paid for 57 mammograms. 125 women were referred for additional diagnostics.

Now more than ever Komen Denver Metropolitan Affiliate has a responsibility to support the underserved community and we will continue to help ensure that all women have access to quality breast health care.”

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.

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.”

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!

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.

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!

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.”

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.