[September 28, 2011]

Advocates and Scientists for Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Named "Champions of Change"

Five outstanding advocates and scientists associated with Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, the world's largest breast cancer organization, have been named "Champions of Change" by the White House for their contributions to ending suffering from breast cancer, the leading cancer diagnosed in women today.

"These women are on the front lines of breast cancer every day as leaders of research, clinical practice and advocacy for women facing this disease. We are delighted that they are being recognized for their passion, talent, and significant work for women and men facing breast cancer," said Ambassador Nancy G. Brinker, founder and CEO of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Each week the White House highlights 'Champions of Change' who are making an impact in their communities and helping to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

The five Komen-nominated Champions were announced Tuesday and represent the full range of Komen's work to end breast cancer. They are representatives of Komen's 120-plus Affiliate network, community health and public policy advocates, or researchers and clinicians who advise Komen on the direction of research to bring treatments and answers to patients in the shortest period of time. Recognized today are:

• Elyse Gellerman of Denver: Gellerman represents Komen's network of community Affiliates on the Komen board of directors and currently chairs the Affiliate Network's Public Policy committee. A long-time activist for women's issues, Gellerman has more than a decade of expertise as a volunteer, board member, officer, community advocate and co-survivor of breast cancer. She served on the Komen Denver Metropolitan Affiliate's board of directors for six years. As chair of the Affiliate's Public Policy Committee, she works to increase access to breast health and breast cancer care for low income and uninsured individuals.
• Anne Marie Murphy, PH.D., of Chicago: Murphy is executive director of the Metropolitan Chicago Breast Cancer Task Force. The task force was founded to address disturbing disparities in breast cancer outcomes for African American women in the Chicago area, who were dying at a significantly higher rate than white women in the region. In 2008, with $1 million in Komen funding, the task force formed the Chicago Breast Cancer Quality Consortium to engage healthcare providers across the region. All told, Komen has contributed $2.1 million to the effort. Today, more than 80 percent of hospital-based mammography centers in metropolitan Chicago are participating in the project, and the Chicago Breast Cancer Quality Consortium has become the first federally designated Patient Safety Organization dedicated exclusively to breast health. In 2009, the Task Force, working with Komen, passed legislation to reduce breast cancer disparities and the governor of Illinois established the nation's first breast cancer quality board.
• Ann Partridge, M.D., M.P.H. of New Bedford, Mass., is clinical director of the Breast Oncology Center and director of the program for Young Women with Breast Cancer at Dana-Farber Cancer Center in Boston. Partridge is a member of the Komen Scholars, a distinguished group of scholars and leaders in breast cancer research and advocacy who have made significant contributions to the field. In 2006, Partridge established and is leading the Young Women's Breast Cancer Study, a multi-institutional study of women diagnosed with breast cancer at age 40 or under. She is an advocate for young women with breast cancer, voicing treatment and survivorship concerns that are often not widely acknowledged or understood in the breast cancer community.
• Robin Prothro, B.S.N., M.P.H. of Baltimore: Robin Prothro has been executive director of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Maryland Affiliate for 10 years but has been involved in women's health and health advocacy for most of her career. Her early clinical experience was as a critical care nurse in shock trauma. She later directed advanced health programs at a large community hospital which included developing the first integrated model of a comprehensive breast center in the state of Maryland. As leader of Komen's Maryland Affiliate, she initiates, implements, and maintains innovative practices and moves towards initiatives and partnerships to affect greater, lasting changes, including a partnership between the Maryland Affiliate, the University of Maryland School of Nursing to incorporate information about breast cancer into the nursing curriculum, and an individualized, comprehensive long-term patient care program being developed in partnership with Johns Hopkins Breast Center.
• Amelie G. Ramirez, Dr.PH., M.P.H. of San Antonio: Ramirez is chairwoman of Susan G. Komen for the Cure®'s National Hispanic/Latino Advisory Council and a member of Komen's Scientific Advisory Board, which sets the direction and focus of Komen's extensive scientific research program. She is a professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatics and Director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. She has directed numerous state, federal and privately funded research programs focusing on human and organizational communication to reduce cancer health disparities affecting Hispanics/Latino and other populations. Dr. Ramirez works to advance breast cancer survivorship, which includes conducting community based research, spurring Latinas to enter clinical trials, telling survivors' stories, setting a national cancer control agenda, and promoting educational materials for survivors.

Founded in 1982 on a promise between two sisters, Susan G. Komen for the Cure works to end breast cancer in the U.S. and throughout the world through ground-breaking research, community health outreach, advocacy and programs in more than 50 countries with a special focus on low-resource and developing nations. Visit komen.org.

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