Statement on Breast Cancer Awareness Month (2021)

Nancy Brinker, founder of The Promise Fund of Florida and Susan G. Komen, released the following statement in commemoration of the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

“For the second consecutive year, Breast Cancer Awareness Month coincides with the ongoing global pandemic. While these occurrences reinforce the gratitude we all share for medical professionals, researchers, and caregivers who dedicate their lives to fighting for a healthier world, it also sheds light on disparities and the challenges far too many continue to face in gaining access to quality health care and even regular screenings.

“During the year ahead, hundreds of thousands of Americans men and women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and tens of thousands will lose their battle with this dreaded disease. For these brave fighters, for their dedicated loved ones, and in honor of the promise that I made to my sister Suzy, we must recommit ourselves to forging a future free from cancer in all its forms.

“Critical research efforts over time have yielded great progress in how we diagnose and treat breast cancer. It is crucial that we keep building on these successes so they can be shared more equally across racial and ethnic groups in America and throughout the world. Within our own families, I encourage all women to proactively find out if they are at increased risk of cancer and to learn more about the benefits of routine screenings by speaking with their health care providers. Continued research, early detection and community-focused treatment can and will save lives. We are in this fight together and I have never been more confident we are approaching a day when we will overcome this disease.”

For more information on The Promise Fund of Florida’s groundbreaking work, please visit https://promisefundofflorida.org/.

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