Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Ignite the Promise: Global Breast Cancer Advocate Summit

On Sept. 29–30, Susan G. Komen for the Cure will host Ignite the Promise: Global Breast Cancer Advocate Summit in Budapest, Hungary. To elevate the dialogue on breast cancer's global impact the Summit will bring together breast cancer advocates who are working to reduce the burden of breast cancer in their respective communities from more than 25 countries including 25 delegates from Komen's Affiliate Network. The Summit will result in much more than talk. The Advocates' Summit will give voice to the global burden of breast cancer from the perspective of the breast cancer advocate, dissemination of breast cancer advocacy best practices around the globe and developing and publishing advocacy guidelines to effect meaningful changes throughout the world.

First Ladies, Mrs. Laura Bush and Dr. Klara Dobrev, wife of Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsanys, will be honorary co-chairs of the summit sending a strong call to action to first ladies and women of influence around the world to make breast cancer a top health concern in their own countries.

"Since I started the global breast cancer movement 25 years ago, we have worked to change the way breast cancer is talked about and treated," said Nancy G. Brinker, founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. "While we have made great strides, the breast cancer crisis facing our world is enormous. This event is a critical extension of our global advocacy efforts and learnings as we work to understand how breast cancer impacts women in different cultures and to ensure that all women, regardless of race, nationality or socioeconomic status, have equal opportunity to beat a breast cancer diagnosis.

Alarming global cancer statistics underscore the urgency of Komen's mission to end breast cancer forever, and to attack breast cancer on domestic as well as international fronts. Cancer already claims twice as many lives as AIDS worldwide. At least seven million people die of cancer each year and close to 11 million new cases are diagnosed. That's more than AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria put together.

The Global Breast Cancer Advocate Summit is in association with the BHGI, preceding the BHGI Global Summit on International Breast Health (Oct. 1–4). The site of both the meetings will be the Le Méridien Budapest. For more information go to www.komen.org.