Komen

The resignation of Maryland native Karen Handel from theSusan G. Komen for the Curefoundation on Tuesday could be a first step toward the organization's recovery from a week of negative headlines, comments and tweets. But crisis communications experts say Handel's departure alone won't be enough to restore the goodwill the breast cancer-fighting foundation has lost. Consultant Jeremy Robinson-Leon says Handel's insistence that the decision to pull funding from Planned Parenthood last week was well thought out and approved by the foundation board raises more questions.

MINNEAPOLIS - An annual Major League Baseball undertaking to provide exposure and money to cancer-awareness charities became embroiled in a bit of a controversy Friday, with an Oriole being one of the players inadvertently involved. On Sunday, as part of its Mother's Day celebration, participating players will wear and use pink equipment - to bring more awareness to breast cancer issues - as they have since 2006. The items will then be auctioned off with proceeds going to charities including Susan G. Komen For The Cure, which has championed breast cancer research for decades.

The Susan G. Komen for the Curebreast cancer advocacy and charity group backed away Friday from a plan to slash funding to Planned Parenthood programs, but the public apology might not be enough to repair its damaged image right away. Experts in public relations and crisis management said some may not be ready to accept Komen's reversal. The group said it pulled funding for Planned Parenthood because of internal policy changes, but some perceived the move as driven by political pressure from abortion opponents.

The successful relationship between WWE and Susan G. Komen will continue, as a special Mother's Day campaign has been launched. “Make Mom Proud” is an awareness campaign to support the fight against breast cancer. The TV and digital campaign, which coincides with Mother's Day, calls on supporters to do something meaningful for their moms and the other important women in their lives. As part of the campaign, WWE will urge fans to support moms by taking steps to educate themselves about the disease, participate in local Susan G. Komen Races in their communities, and donate to Komen, the world's largest nonprofit funder of breast cancer research and community outreach programs.

Karen Meyer, dressed in pink for breast cancer awareness month, gave blood Wednesday at the Red Cross Donor Center in Timonium as part of a new partnership between the relief agency and the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation. Meyer was participating in the first-of-its-kind partnership between the two Maryland nonprofits that urges donors to give hope and give blood. "We have never done something like this," said Robin Prothro, executive director of Susan G. Komen Maryland. "It is a perfect combination of missions and maybe it will open the door for other partnerships."

Thirty thousand pairs of sneakers. Thirty thousand pink ribbons. Thirty thousand people trying to beat something. n If nothing else, Sunday's Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure was really 30,000 stories. Tales of people whose lives have been somehow touched by breast cancer. Thousands of reasons for showing up to walk or run on a rainy, cold, dreary morning. n Stories of bravery and pain and love. Of courage and collapse, triumph and loss. n Amanda Brennan's story is about her mom. Debra Sawyer's is about fighting.

MINNEAPOLIS - An annual Major League Baseball undertaking to provide exposure and money to cancer-awareness charities became embroiled in a bit of a controversy Friday, with an Oriole being one of the players inadvertently involved. On Sunday, as part of its Mother's Day celebration, participating players will wear and use pink equipment - to bring more awareness to breast cancer issues - as they have since 2006. The items will then be auctioned off with proceeds going to charities including Susan G. Komen For The Cure, which has championed breast cancer research for decades.

Betty Lee Hansen Memorial contributions may be made to Susan G. Komen for the Cure

IN THE PINK Komen Maryland Race for the Cure, a fundraiser sponsored by the Maryland affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, will take place Oct. 21 in Baltimore. Events include a 5-kilometer race at 8 a.m. and a 1-mile walk at 8:45 a.m., both starting at Conway and Charles streets. For details, visit komenmd.org or call 410-433-7223. [HARRY MERRITT]

On December 16, 2003 JAJEANNE M., beloved wife of William Harrison Priest, of St. Michaels, MD, and loving mother of Sally A. Priest of Gaithersburg, MD. Contributions in her memory may be made to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for Breast Cancer or the Charity of your choice. A Memorial Service to be announced after January 1, 2004.

DJ and producer Afrojack will open the main stage music lineup at this year's Preakness InfieldFest on May 18, the Maryland Jockey Club announced Friday. Two country singers, Rodney Atkins and Rachel Farley, will round out the Black-Eyed Susan concert on May 17. Rappers Pitbull and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis will headline this year's Preakess InfieldFest May 18 at Pimlico Race Course. And rockers the Goo Goo Dolls will headline the Black-Eyed Susan concert on Preakness Eve -- part of the People's Pink Party, a partnership between Pimlico and Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Bridget Ellen Mooney Spence, who raised funds for the Susan Komen Foundation, died of complications from breast cancer Thursday at her home in Sudbury, Mass. The former Baltimore resident was 29. Born in Baltimore, she was the daughter of William J. Mooney, an accountant, and Dorothy Hermann Mooney, a retired Gilman School teacher. Raised in Pinehurst, she was a 2001 Roland Park Country School graduate. She earned a cum laude degree in international relations from Boston University.

Facing a year of financial trouble that started with a national controversy over dropping monetary support for Planned Parenthood, Komen Maryland told its donors on Friday that the organization is $1 million short of reaching its current fundraising goal. Brittany Fowler, spokeswoman for the Maryland affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, said cancer patients and survivors in the state could lose services, such as prepared meals, breast exams and aqua therapy, if the organization misses its local $3.1 million target by the end of the current fundraising year, which closes March 31, 2013.

The sun had barely risen Sunday morning as Geneva Frazier shimmied in a conga line, her pink feather boa flouncing while "I Will Survive" blared over the loudspeakers at Komen Maryland's Race for the Cure. This is the fourth year her family has run the Hunt Valley race, and it has been two years since her cousin, Patricia Gross, died of breast cancer . "It's hard," Frazier said. "But it's a celebration. Everybody's here for the same reason. " However, the turnout Sunday was not as big as in previous years.

Streets throughout Hunt Valley will be closed temporarily Sunday for the 20th Annual Susan G. Komen Maryland Race for the Cure. Baltimore County police are advising motorists and others to be prepared for detours and delays before, during and after the event. The event includes a 5K Run, a 5K Walk and a 1 Mile Family Fun Walk. The 5K race will start at 8 a.m. The 5K Walk and the 1 Mile Walk will start at 8:30 a.m. All three follow the same course. The entire event is expected to last about three and a half hours.

Susan G. Komen for the Cureon Thursday announced $58 million in grants to support breast cancer research.  The 154 grants were given to researchers in 22 states, including Maryland, and 7 countries. The grants will cover a wide spectrum of breast cancer research, including prevention, environmental issues, more sensitive screening, personalized treatments and factors that lead to worse breast cancer outcomes in minorities and special populations. Maryland grants were given to: Dr. Preethi Korangath of John Hopkins University, $120,000 Angela Brodie of the University of Maryland, $250,000 Vered Stearns of Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, $175,000 Sarah Sukumar of John Hopkins University, $250,000 Antonio Wolff of John Hopkins University, 62,500 grant  

On October 30, 2006, LaRUE FOXWELL POYER; beloved wife of Charles Poyer, Jr.; devoted mother of Renee Suiter, Charles, III, Glenn and Warren Poyer and Lisa Sly; loving grandmother of Christopher, Tamara, Kristen, Gregory, Ryan, Bradley and Conner. Memorial contributions may be made in her name to Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, 200 E. Joppa Road, Towson, MD 21286.

On Thursday, October 6, 2005 B. ADELE, wife of the late Edward T. Dougherty; beloved mother of Kathy Mouncey and Barbara "Bobbie" Williams; sister of the late Alvina Swomley; also survived by three grandchildren and twogreat-grandsons. Friends may call on Saturday from 3 to 5 P.M. at the Stallings Funeral Home, P.A., 3111 Mountain Road, Pasadena, MD. Memorial contributions to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, PO Box 650309, Dallas TX, 75265.