Komen warms up for race

The Ozark Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure Board of Directors members, staff and honorary race chairwoman Shelley McMillon gathered with Race for the Cure sponsors for a race kick-off party Feb. 27 at Aloft in Rogers.

This year's Race for the Cure is April 26 at Pinnacle Hills Promenade Mall. The event features a competitive 5K and 10K race, a survivor breakfast, a noncompetitive 5K race, a family fun walk, Kids for the Cure, Bark for the Cure and Teens for the Cure. Honorary race chairwoman McMillon is the wife of Walmart's CEO-elect Doug McMillon, and the honorary survivor chairwoman is Marilyn Bielema, mother of University of Arkansas head football coach Bret Bielema and three-time breast cancer survivor, according to komenozark.org. The founding sponsor is Tyson Foods, and the presenting sponsor is Walmart/Sam's Club, according to Lindsay Dixon, development director for the Ozark Affiliate.

The Ozark Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure was established in 1999 to spread the life-saving message of early detection and to support breast cancer screening, treatment and diagnostic programs in Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley. The Ozark Affiliate has granted almost $6.4 million since 1999 to fund programs that support its promise, according to the website. There were 17 grant recipients named last year, and the 2014 grant recipients will be announced at the Promise Circle Luncheon March 19 at Mermaids.

Hope Cancer Resources received a $40,000 grant last year, helping the organization's Save-A-Life program and providing genetic testing for people who are diagnosed with breast cancer who are at high risk for the BRCA genetic aberration, said Sandy Prince, vice president of cancer education and prevention at Hope Cancer Resources. This is a genetic defect and is the "one thing we can find that attributes to breast cancer that we know for sure makes the risk increase," she said. Some insurance companies cover the testing and others do not, so Hope Cancer Resources uses the grant to provide this service for the Komen Ozark service area. If the test is positive, patients are at a higher risk for breast cancer in both breasts and to develop ovarian cancer, and they generally elect to have a mastectomy and ovaries removed to lower their risk, Prince said.

"The tool is to help you plan your treatment," Prince said.

Prince said 12 tests were conducted last year, and the organization has received this particular grant for about eight years. The grants allows Hope Cancer Resources to provide a service that gives peace of mind to women with breast cancer who suspect they may be genetically positive, she added.

"It's a marvelous way to help that person plan their treatment, possibly save their life," she said.

For the kick-off event, food was provided by Chuy's and drinks by Coca-Cola. Aloft also donated 10 percent of bar sales to Komen Ozark.