Komen

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

Years ago, when Abby Ferretti began running in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, she would just show up, run and go home. Then her grandmother's breast cancer returned with a vengeance. "We wanted to rev things up," said Ferretti, 24, of Annapolis. The effort that began simply with spray-painted pink running shoes reached a new level yesterday at the 15th annual Komen race in Hunt Valley. There, Ferretti and 66 friends and family members decked themselves out in pink paint, pink ribbons, pink shorts and black-and-pink T-shirts depicting a cartoon drawing of Clara "Big MomMom" Ferretti, who died three years ago. "It's a ritual now -- like war paint -- to psych everyone up and get everyone going," said Ferretti, who earns a living as a graphics designer for Johns Hopkins Hospital.

The city has lost one of its flagship fall events to Baltimore County. The annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure to benefit breast cancer treatment and research is moving to Hunt Valley, organizers are scheduled to announce today. They pointed to scheduling complications with the National Football League over the use of M&T Bank Stadium. Its parking lots have served as the race's staging area and finish line for six years. Robin Prothro, executive director of the Maryland affiliate of the newly renamed Susan G. Komen for the Cure, said the annual April release of the Baltimore Ravens' home game dates left too little time to plan and publicize the race and recruit vendors for the site.

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.

At first, Steve Levin was looking for a couple hundred energetic volunteers from his children's school to run a few miles, enjoy a nice day and help raise some money for breast cancer research. But then hundreds more students, parents, alumni and faculty from the McDonogh School in Owings Mills signed up, and then hundreds more after that. Pretty soon, the Reisterstown marketing director had assembled a team of more than 600 people to run in the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation's 14th annual Race 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 September 25, 2006, ETHEL BRADLEY (nee Sparks) passed on to eternal rest. The beloved wife of the late Robert L. Bradley, Sr., of Bel Air. She is survived by her three sons, Robert Bradley, Jr., and wife Mary of Bel Air, Charles Bradley and wife Donna of Shepherd, TX, and Thomas Bradley of Bel Air. Additionally, she is survived by her devoted twin sister, Edith Procheska and her husband James of Bel Air, five grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, four...

BARBARA A. GIBULA, 53, of Nazareth, PA, passed away December 2, 2005, in St. Luke's Hospital, Bethleham, PA. She was the wife of Gerry, formerly of Baltimore, MD. Surviving are her husband; daughters, Amy M. Leply, Quenby A. Shick; son, Darren C; three brothers and four grandchildren. Services, Wednesday, 11 A.M. in the Long Funeral Home, Bethlehem. Visitation Tuesday, 6 to 9 P.M. in the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, P.O. Box 650309, Dallas, TX, 75265-0309.

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.

As she walked across the finish line, Sandra Stromberger paused to hold her son, Dan Meyers. They closed their eyes, letting go of a few tears. Thirteen years ago, while Stromberger was overcoming breast cancer, she walked in Baltimore's first Race for the Cure, a fundraiser put on annually by the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, a nonprofit charity organization. Then, she was one of a handful of cancer survivors who huddled together for a photograph after the race, which then drew 500 to 600 people.