Susan G. Komen NorthwestNC

In the U.S., one case of breast cancer is diagnosed every 2 minutes, and every 13 minutes, a woman dies from breast cancer. Breast cancer is the second highest cause of cancer deaths for women in the US and the number one cause for women between 40 and 59 years old. African American and Hispanic/Latina women are more likely than white women to be diagnosed with more advanced stages of breast cancer, with African American women having the highest breast cancer death rates of all racial and ethnic groups. Next to the U.S. government, Susan G. Komen is the largest funder of breast cancer research in the world, and Komen research grants have been involved in every major advance in breast cancer treatment. Local Komen Affiliates fund education, screening, and non-medical treatment grants in the community, providing access to options that would otherwise be unavailable to people in need.

Susan G. Komen operates on two levels: the global headquarters in Dallas, Texas is solely responsible for grants for breast cancer research and oversight of 102 Affiliates. The Affiliates, such as Komen Northwest NC, located in  Winston-Salem, are responsible for their local community by identifying disparities in accessing breast health services, educating individuals about breast health; raising money and granting it to local organizations to close the gaps to breast health care. All Affiliates work towards a collective vision of a world without breast cancer.

Komen Northwest NC, located in Winston-Salem, proudly serves 22 counties: Alamance, Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Guilford, Madison, Mitchell, Randolph, Rockingham, Stokes, Surry, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin and Yancey. Our local headquarters is in Winston-Salem, NC.

 “We LIVE here, we RACE here, we GIVE BACK here, and we SAVE LIVES here.” Susan G. Komen Northwest NC is committed to empowering individuals through breast health education, ensuring quality of care, and, energizing science to find the cures. Key educational messages are: know your normal, be aware of your breast health, and, prevention and early detection are critical to survival. Komen Northwest NC provides breast health education and outreach programs, funding for local community health organizations, and supports national research to find the cures.

Seventy-five (75%) of all funds raised stay local! Money goes toward local community health grants and education and outreach programs. The other 25% of the proceeds goes to Susan G. Komen’s national research program. Since 2000, Komen Northwest NC has granted over $6 million towards funding local community organizations and hospitals to provide free mammograms/screenings, non-medical treatment and breast health educational initiatives.