Approximately 250 top supporters gathered Sept. 21 to hear the accomplishments of the 25th annual Susan G. Komen Detroit Race for the Cure®, locally presented by the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, held in May. As a result of this year's Race, total net proceeds were more than $1 million: $719,827 was awarded to three local breast cancer education, screening and treatment programs serving Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties; and an additional $151,427went to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Award and Research Grant Programto support innovative breast cancer research across the globe.  

The announcement was made during the Susan G. Komen Detroit Race for the Cure® Friends for the Cure® and Teams Celebration, which recognizes Race teams and individuals for their outstanding fundraising. In addition to the fundraising recognitions, the event featured a panel of breast cancer experts from Karmanos Cancer Institute and Wayne State University School of Medicine who shared the latest updates and answered questions from the audience; and information was shared on Susan G. Komen's bold goal to reduce U.S. breast cancer deaths by 50 percent in 10 years; the plan targets health equity for all and enhanced research focus for most lethal breast cancers.

A crowd of 25,000 participated in the 2016 Komen Detroit Race for the Cure held in May at Detroit's Chene Park. The Komen Detroit Race is a top tier Race event in Komen Race series and among 130 Races held around the world. The Karmanos Cancer Institute has been the local presenting sponsor of the Komen Detroit Race since it began in 1992. Over the last 25 years, the Komen Detroit Race had raised and invested more than $29 million to help end breast cancer. Seventy-five percent of the net proceeds raised help support local breast cancer programs and 25 percent funds national breast cancer research. Globally, Susan G. Komen has invested more than $920 million in research and more than $2 billion in life-saving breast cancer community programs. To date, more than $27 million has been awarded toMichigan scientists to help advance innovative breast cancer research inMichigan.

"We are honored to recognize and celebrate all those whose dedication and commitment help us in our work to end breast cancer," said Katrina Studvent, chair of the Komen Detroit Race for the Cure. "Once again, our Race teams, generous sponsors and media partners, fundraisers, faith-based groups and participants stepped up, making this year's Race another success.

"Together, we are helping both women and men survive breast cancer, including those with metastatic disease where there is currently no cure – our forever fighters. Unfortunately, there are still 40,000 women dying from this disease each year and there remains discouraging disparity within underserved communities, including metropolitan Detroit.

"As a result, Susan G. Komen recently announced a bold plan to reduce breast cancer deaths by 50 percent in the next 10 years by improving access to quality and timely cancer care for the underserved, and enhancing research dollars focused on aggressive breast cancers with the allocation of $32.7 million for new research grants for 2016."

Komen Scholar Lisa Newman, M.D., with Henry Ford Health System, will receive $600,000 to compare gene expression in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) samples from patients from west Africa, east Africa, African-Americans and Caucasian Americans to determine if shared ancestry, population migration and reproductive patterns contribute to the development of specific subtypes of TNBC. This work will better define TNBC subtypes in diverse populations.

Michigan also has nine ongoing grants, awarded in previous years. This new research grant brings Komen's total research investment in Michigan to$27,028,700 since 1982.  

Brian Christy, co-chair for the Komen Detroit Race shared findings from the Komen Detroit needs assessment, which supports Komen's initiative and determines how Race funds are allocated.

"Although we have come a long way since our first Detroit Race in 1992, our work is far from over," said Christy. "Our 2015 needs assessment on ourDetroit service area (representing Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties) showed significantly higher incidence of late-stage diagnoses and deaths from breast cancer compared to the rest of Michigan.

"We are committed to help close this disparities gap and appreciate your ongoing support so that all those in our community can have access to education and the quality breast cancer care they deserve."

2016 Komen Detroit-Funded Local Breast Cancer Programs
Based on the results of a community needs assessment, a panel of community experts invested this year's Race proceeds in the following programs:

• Helping Hands: Breast Diagnostic and Limited Treatment Services to Low-Income/Uninsured Patients at the Alexander J. Walt Breast Center – Awarded $260,740 
  Laura Zubeck, R.N., BSN, MBA/HCA, Karmanos Cancer Institute

The Helping Hands grant covers diagnostic, co-pay, high deductibles and limited treatment for uninsured and uninsured/underinsured women and men who are not eligible for other support. Karmanos staff evaluates all requests for financial assistance and provides educational materials, system navigation, follow-up guidance, and help with other needs, such as transportation, prescriptions and more.

• Extend and Enhance: Providing BCCCP Services to More Women inWayne County – Awarded $210,793 
  Robert Burack, M.D. MPH, Karmanos Cancer Institute/Wayne State University

The Wayne County Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program (BCCCP) assists uninsured and underinsured women in the tri-county region so they have full access to breast cancer screening, follow-up and treatment. The program includes community outreach and breast cancer education, breast screening follow-up and treatment at no out-of-pocket cost to uninsured women. This grant also covers out-of-pocket costs for women with high-deductible health insurance, and treatment for women diagnosed with breast cancer but who are ineligible for Medicaid.

• Sister & Sister Free Mammogram Program – Awarded $248,294 
  Nichole McLaughlin, McLaren Oakland Foundation

The Sister & Sister's Free Mammogram Program provides free mammograms to increase mammogram screening and survival rates among hard-to-reach uninsured/underinsured African American and Hispanic women in the greaterPontiac area. The program corrects misconceptions about breast cancer using an evidence-based "witnessing" model. Women in need are navigated to follow-up testing, and if cancer is found, they are navigated to treatment.

Recognizing Outstanding Accomplishments and Fundraising

Susan G. Komen recognizes exceptional individuals with "The Promise of One" award. The award reflects the promise Nancy Brinker made to her sister Susan G. Komen who died of breast cancer at the age of 36. That promise led to the creation of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, established in 1982, to fund research to help end breast cancer forever. Since then, Susan G. Komen has become the largest breast cancer movement of its kind in the world.

This year's "Promise of One" award was presented to Patricia Ellis of Grosse Pointe. Ellis has served on the Komen Detroit Planning Committee for nearly 10 years as volunteer media chair. She helps with year-round media coverage and volunteers countless hours sharing numerous inspirational stories and securing feature interviews for the annual Komen Detroit Race for the Cure®, engaging wonderful media partners who have grown their involvement each year. Ellis' consistent drive, instinctive story development and media relationships have resulted in more than $15 million in pro-bono media coverage for the Detroit Race in the past seven years alone.  

Having lost both her parents and other loved ones to cancer, she, like others she works with, is passionate and committed to do what she can to raise awareness and help others impacted by this disease, engaging the community and local and national media in the process. Ellis continues that same commitment in her work as director of media relations for the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute.

The Sept. 21 celebration also recognized outstanding fundraising efforts through its Friends for the Cure® program, which started 20 years ago. The event acknowledges Race teams of 40 or more, teams that raised more than$5,000 and individuals who raised more than $1,000. Since the program began, more than $12 million has been raised toward Komen Detroit's total revenue.

Forty-six Platinum Club members raised at least $2,000 each. Seventeen Promise Club members raised $5,000 or more. Of the top ten individual fundraisers, the latter seven of this impressive group together raised $50,351. 

The top three fundraisers for 2016 are:

• 1st place winner is Dorene Williams of Bloomfield Hills, who raised$22,640 this year. Williams was diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer in 2003. She has won top fundraiser seven times since 2008. Regarding her disease, she says she continues to remain positive and never gives up! In the past six years, Dorene has raised $178,534.
• 2nd place winner is Lynda Jablonski of Sterling Heights, who raised$16,015 this year. She said she continues to fundraise so that her grandchildren can, one day, live in a world without breast cancer. She has been a member of the Platinum Clun every year since its inception – 13 years.
• 3rd place winner is Cerita Douglas of Canton, who raised $9,700. As an extension of the Ford Motor Company team, Douglas, a 16-year breast cancer survivor herself, started the team Stephanie's Soldiers in loving memory of her colleague who lost her battle with breast cancer.  

Race Teams with the highest overall fundraising and highest percentage of team member participation were also recognized with News Balance Fundraising Award incentives. Teams include:

• Pink Squirrels, raising $11,044
• Honey's Heroes, raising $18,410
• Alissa's Angels, raising $16,082
• Kelly Services Cancer Crusaders, raising $22,026
• Daro's Bosom Buddies $22,640
• Hewlett Packard Enterprise, raising $29,899, and
• Ford Motor Company, raising $55,792

In addition, the team JMC's Jamming Jugs was recognized for having the highest percentage of team members raising at least $100 each.

Over the past 24 years, Ford Motor Company's local fundraising efforts have totaled more than $732,000.  

Ford is a national partner of the Komen Race Series and has dedicated more than $130 million to the breast cancer fight over the past 22 years.

The 26th Annual Susan G. Komen Detroit Race for the Cure will be held in spring 2017 in Detroit. Visithttp://www.karmanoscancer.org/KomenDetroit/registration.aspx to register and learn how you can get involved.