Komen San Diego Calls Upon San Diego Breast Cancer Survivors to Inspire Others and Raise Breast Cancer Awareness

First Ever Search Hopes to Find Honorary Survivor to Serve as San Diego Spokesperson

The San Diego Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, with the help of KFMB-TV, is conducting its first ever Honorary Survivor Search to find a breast cancer survivor that will serve as a spokesperson for the organization throughout the year. The selected Honorary Survivor will demonstrate his or her commitment to teamwork in the ongoing fight against breast cancer and will support the Komen Foundation including its largest local fundraiser, the San Diego Race for the Cure®.
"Our Honorary Survivor Search celebrates breast cancer survivors throughout San Diego County and provides a way for us to reach out to the general public to join forces with us in our fight against breast cancer," said Samm McDonald, president of the San Diego Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. "We encourage San Diegans to nominate friends and loved ones that have combated breast cancer to serve as an inspiration and to promote breast cancer awareness in the San Diego community."

The selected Honorary Survivor will serve as a spokesperson at Komen San Diego events, including the San Diego Race for the Cure® scheduled for Sunday, November 6, 2005. The selected Honorary Survivor will be trained to serve as a media spokesperson and must be willing to share his or her personal story on the Komen web site and in all media materials. The selected Honorary Survivor will support the Komen San Diego mission to increase awareness of breast cancer education, screening and treatment in San Diego.

"When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer, I knew very little about the disease," said San Diego breast cancer survivor and Komen San Diego spokesperson, Laurinda Nikkel. "The Susan G. Komen Foundation provided me with the resources I needed in order to feel empowered during this very difficult time. Without these resources, it would have been virtually impossible to make intelligent treatment decisions. My hope is that this year's Honorary Survivor will use his or her story to inspire others suffering from the disease and help educate San Diegans on the many screening and treatment options available to them."

Nominees can be male or female and must be San Diego County residents that are involved in the community. Qualified candidates are those that have been recently diagnosed with breast cancer, are undergoing treatment or have completed treatment. Nominees under the age of 21 need parent or guardian permission. Applications for Honorary Survivor nominees are being accepted until September 6, 2005 and the selected survivor will be announced on September 10, 2005. Applications are available on the Komen San Diego web site at www.sdkomen.org.

The Komen Foundation was established in 1982 by Nancy Goodman Brinker in memory of her sister who died from breast cancer at the age of 36. Brinker herself was diagnosed just two years later and has spent the past 18 years dedicating her life to finding a cure, hence -- Race for the Cure®. This year's San Diego Race for the Cure® will be held at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 6, 2005 at Balboa Park. For additional information, visit www.sdkomen.org.

The Komen Foundation is a national organization with a network of volunteers throughout local chapters and events across the country, fighting to eradicate breast cancer as a life-threatening disease by advancing research, education, screening and treatment. The Foundation is the largest private funder of research dedicated solely to breast cancer in the United States.


National Race for the Cure® Information 1-888-603-RACE

Media Contact:
Rachel Lipsitz
Atkins + Associates
858-527-3483
rlipsitz@irpr.com