History

Susan G. Komen fought breast cancer with her heart, body and soul. Throughout her diagnosis, treatments, and endless days in the hospital, she spent her time thinking of ways to make life better for other women battling breast cancer instead of worrying about her own situation. Moved by Susan’s compassion for others and commitment to making a difference, Nancy G. Brinker promised her sister that she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer.

Though Susan lost her battle with the disease, her legacy lives on through the work of Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, the organization Nancy started in her honor. Komen for the Cure is the global leader of the breast cancer movement, having invested more than $1 billion since its inception in 1982. Komen’s promise is to save lives and end breast cancer forever by empowering people, ensuring quality care for all and energizing science to find the cures.
Across the country, that promise is upheld by a network of 122 local Affiliate offices. At the heart of each Affiliate is a person or group of people who, like Susan, wanted to make a difference.

South Dakota Affiliate story

The South Dakota Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure began serving the state in 2005. Since then, we have granted nearly $735,000 to organizations throughout our state to support the fight against breast cancer. In 2010, we will continue our tradition of the Komen South Dakota Race for the Cure®, held in Vermillion, SD on the campus of the University of South Dakota, is the largest Affiliate fundraiser. This is an opportunity for all of us, as South Dakotans, to come together in the fight against breast cancer.

What many may not know is that in addition to the Race for the Cure®, the Komen South Dakota Affiliate and our national organization Susan G. Komen for the Cure, have year-round efforts to provide breast cancer research, education, screening and treatment. Komen South Dakota is about making more information available to you. We want you to know we are here for you.

South Dakotans are invited to join in the cause of creating a "World Without Breast Cancer".  With the continued dedication of women and men thoughout the state working together with the public and private sectors, we will address the unmet needs of the medically underserved in our state and bring further education to win the fight against breast cancer.

We hope you will join our fight against breast cancer. When you need breast cancer information, resources, educational materials, and of course, hope...think Komen South Dakota.