Race for Cure gets personal this year

Danette Goulet

NEWPORT BEACH - Every day Nancy Brinker strives to keep a promise she

made to her sister.

“My sister died in 1980,” Brinker said. “Right before she died she

asked me to do something to eradicate breast cancer.”

At 36, her sister, Susan Komen died of breast cancer, leaving behind

two children.

Sunday morning, thousands of people will flood Newport Beach in a

continued effort to help her keep that promise by participating in the

Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Race for the Cure.

With 25,000 participants last year, the race raised $1.38 million to

fight breast cancer. This year the Orange County affiliate -- one of 115

Komen foundation groups -- hopes to top that by raising $1.5 million,

said race chair Aletha Anderson.

Of the money raised, 75% stays here in Orange County for local

outreach, education, screening and treatment. The remaining 25% goes to

the international foundation for research grants and outreach programs.

The local funding is a crucial, Brinker said, especially here in

Orange County.

“I know that your rate of breast cancer is very high here,” Brinker

said. “One out of seven women in Orange County will develop breast cancer

in their lives.”

It is an issue that hit home harder than ever in Newport Beach this

year.

Many lives were deeply and personally touched by Rosalind Williams,

the former head of the Newport Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau.

Known almost equally for her zest for life and helping to bring golf

tournaments, conventions and thousands of visitors to the town, Williams

died in June of complications from a four-year battle with breast cancer.

Deputy city manager Dave Kiff has organized a 70-member team to walk

in her honor.

“I know she had kept the seriousness of it quiet, so a lot of us were

surprised,” Kiff said. “We were looking for a way to honor her and the

Race for the Cure was coming up so it seemed like a great way to honor

her that would help women who suffer from breast cancer.”

Kiff has managed to organize a tremendous and diverse group of city

employees, spouses, family and friends. Each will wear a T-shirt embossed

with picture of a license plate that reads “CNB4ROZ” [City of Newport

Beach for Rosalind].

Among the supporters taking part will be Williams’ mother-in-law,

Janie Arnold.

“I just think it’s a wonderful tribute,” Arnold said. “The big cross

section that have joined in this -- friends, family, those who worked

with her and those who knew of her. For those who admired her afar and

from close up she’s an inspiration.”

The Race for the Cure will begin Sunday at the Pacific Life Building,

700 Newport Center Drive, Fashion Island.

FYI

Who: More than 20,000 people

What: Will walk, run, hop -- anything they have to

When: Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Where: Races and walks begin at The Pacific Life Building, 700 Newport

Center Drive, Fashion Island, Newport Beach.

Why: To help the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation fight breast

cancer.

Phone: To register, call (714) 957-9165.