Houston – For more than three decades, the Susan G. Komen Foundation has been a driving force in breast cancer research, raising funds and awareness that have saved hundreds of thousands of lives.
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As Komen celebrates its 35th anniversary, we look back at the incredible progress made and hear from a leading researcher and a survivor whose story embodies hope and courage.
A Career Dedicated to Breast Cancer Research
Dr. Jeffrey Rosen, a distinguished professor at Baylor College of Medicine, has spent his entire career focused on breast cancer. Reflecting on the past 35 years, he calls this period “phenomenal.”
“It’s probably over half a million women’s lives have been saved,” Dr. Rosen says. “Instead of just doing radical surgeries, we have specific treatments for breast cancer. We discovered different breast cancer subtypes that we can treat with different therapies... It’s been the most exciting time because you can see really a significant impact on mortality.”
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Despite these advances, Dr. Rosen cautions that challenges remain, especially in treating metastatic breast cancer and aggressive forms like triple-negative breast cancer, which disproportionately affects younger women and African American women.
“There’s still several kinds, in particular triple negative breast cancer, which is seen more in younger women and young African American women that still has a very poor prognosis,” he explains. “Treatment of metastasis is still one of the major unmet needs.”
Funding Challenges Threaten Progress
Dr. Rosen also voices concern about recent government funding cuts that have made it harder for researchers to continue their work.
“When I started, I think it was one in four grants got funded. It was 25th percentile. With tightening of funding, it went down to maybe one in 10, but now it’s about one in 25,” he explains. “I’ve trained over 100 fellows and students to continue to... move this field forward. I think... one of my big concerns now is we’re losing a generation of people who are going to make these advances because of the funding environment."
A Survivor’s Story: Strength and Hope
On the front lines of this fight is DeAnna Atkinson, a 58-year-old breast cancer survivor.
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Atkinson’s only symptom was an indentation on the side of her breast. She didn’t feel a lump or tumor, but the tumor was causing the breast wall to cave in.
One moment stands out vividly for her — when the ultrasound technician showed her the image of her tumor. The shape of the tumor resembled a heart.
“When I asked the ultrasound technician to show me my cancer, she pulled up the pictures and stopped on this one. She said, ‘This is your cancer.’ And I looked at it and said, ‘Oh, I have cancer, but I’m going to be okay.’ That cancer was shaped like a heart, and my daughter sends me hearts to let me know that everything is okay,” Atkinson said.
The daughter she’s referring to passed away as a child. That heart-shaped image gave her peace and strength during a terrifying time.
“It was probably the single thing that got me through knowing that I really wasn’t alone,” she said.
Atkinson admits she delayed her diagnostic mammogram due to a family trip — a decision she regrets because earlier detection might have meant less invasive treatment.
“I had that mammogram that said ‘Hey, you need to come in’ in May but I didn’t go until November... That was a regret on my part because I had to have such an invasive surgery because of the size of my tumor.”
Giving Back Through Community
Atkinson is a passionate supporter of Komen and its mission. She has participated in eight of the nine races since moving to Texas and will be racing again this year, celebrating her third year as a survivor.
“I chose Komen because of the research,” she said. “The more that we talk about it and the more that we share our stories the people behind us have better treatment.”
This year, Deanna plans to wear boxing shorts and gloves, with “Fighter” emblazoned on the back of her boxing robe — a tribute to her journey and the community she fights alongside.
Looking Ahead
As Komen marks 35 years of impact, the progress made is undeniable, but the future depends on sustained funding and support.
Dr. Rosen urges everyone to get involved.
“I can’t emphasize how important private funding from Komen and other foundations is right now,” he said. “I think we’re going to need this support, especially in the next few years, to maintain the progress that we’ve made up to now.”
You can join the fight by participating in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on October 4th. Together, we can help ensure that breast cancer research continues to advance — for all the women who need it.