Regular readers of this blog know if I review a book, I'm going to recommend it. Today's post is no different. Thumbs up for Promise Me by founder and CEO of Susan G. Komen for the Cure Nancy G. Brinker, with best-selling author Joni Rodgers.
From yogurt tops to Race-for-the-cure events, Susan G. Komen (SGK) has become the name and face of breast cancer awareness. So I was intrigued to learn the back story of how Brinker made "SGK into the most influential health charity in the world and the pink ribbon into a universal icon of hope."
After a review of Suzy's and Nancy's sisterly growing-up time, Promise Me takes off. We are privy to the circumstances and passion behind Brinker's prophetic promise to her dying 36-year-old adored older sister: to make things better for women with breast cancer, "Even if it takes the rest of my life."
We have front-row seats to everything post-promise, from Brinker's family joys and travails to her rise from retail clerk to CEO of a foundation that has contributed more than $1.5 BILLION for research and community programs.
I will never look at a pink ribbon or the SGK logo in the same way again.
The story of Nancy Brinker, an inspiring Healthy Survivor, proves:
- one person can make a huge difference
- pain and grief can be remarkable motivators toward good
- even when good comes out of loss, the loss can remain painful
- progress in medicine can -- and does -- change the outcome for patients
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