Susan G. Komen for the Cure®'s Circle of Promise and The Links, Inc. Unite at the 2008 Trumpet Awards

(January 11, 2008, Atlanta)

Luminaries Issue National Call to End Breast Cancer at the 2008 Trumpet Awards

The Circle of Promise campaign, launched in October, 2007, was created to engage African American women in the fight against breast cancer. Today’s partnership with The Links, Incorporated, one of the largest and oldest community volunteer service organizations of women, accelerates Komen’s ability to reach thousands of women in the U.S. and around the globe to provide hope, awareness, education and social support to breast cancer survivors, their family members and the community.

“In times of crisis, African Americans have traditionally turned to family, friends and the community for support and strength,” said Dr. Gwendolyn Lee, national president of The Links, Incorporated. “Through our alliance with Komen’s Circle of Promise initiative, we hope our membership will make this fight their own and encourage other African American women to get active and empower others. We want the African American community to know that they are not alone. Together, we can find the cures.”

Recent studies show that while African American women do not develop breast cancer as often as other women, they are more likely to die from it at a significantly higher rate and they do not live as long with the disease. Also, African American women are diagnosed with more aggressive types of breast cancer and they develop the disease earlier in life.

“Since the 1980s, African American women have had the highest death rate and lowest survival rate of any racial or ethnic group affected by breast cancer,” said Hala Moddelmog, Komen for the Cure president and CEO. “We cannot let another decade pass without taking aggressive action to change these frightening statistics. The entire community must come together to impact change and it will take activists including members of The Links and Susan G. Komen for the Cure®’s Affiliates around the world to bring greater awareness to this issue and to provide increased education and support to the African American community as we work together to find the cures.”

The Trumpet Awards Foundation has been a long-time supporter of Susan G. Komen for the Cure®. In 2007, it presented the President’s Award to Ambassador Nancy G. Brinker, Komen’s founder, and Hala Moddelmog, Komen’s president and CEO will receive a High Heels in High Places honor this weekend.

“The Trumpet Awards recognizes the accomplishments of the best and brightest African Americans in the community,” said Xernona Clayton, founder, president and CEO of the Trumpet Awards Foundation, “We understand the collective power we represent and the ability we have as a group to influence change. It will take a village to inspire, educate and stimulate the community to help realize the ambitious goals of the Komen Circle of Promise campaign. I believe this community is up for the challenge.”

Komen also announced that Clayton and Sybil Wilkes, noted radio personality from the Tom Joyner Morning Show, have added their support as Circle of Promise ambassadors. The Circle of Promise is chaired by television personality and author, Rene Syler, and well-known breast cancer advocate, Alexine Clement Jackson.

About the Circle of Promise

Susan G. Komen for the Cure®’s Circle of Promise campaign is an unprecedented campaign to engage African American women to help end breast cancer forever. The campaign educates women on empowering themselves and other black women to take actions that will save lives. The campaign’s goal is to recruit 100,000 ambassadors. Registering through the interactive site, www.circleofpromise.org, is the first step to become a Circle of Promise ambassador and to encourage other women to do the same.

About Susan G. Komen for the Cure®

Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure® and launched the global breast cancer movement. Today, Komen for the Cure is the world's largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures. Thanks to events like the Komen Race for the Cure, we have invested nearly $1 billion to fulfill our promise, becoming the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world. For more information about Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, breast health or breast cancer, visit www.komen.org or call 1-877 GO KOMEN.

About The Links, Incorporated

The Links, Incorporated, founded in 1946, is one of the oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of women who are committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry. The Links, Incorporated has a membership of nearly 12,000 professional women of color serving in 273 chapters in 42 states, the District of Columbia, Germany, South Africa and the Bahamas. Through its philanthropic arm, The Links Foundation, Incorporated, the organization has contributed more than 22 million dollars to charitable causes since its founding. In 2006, members contributed more than 500,000 documented hours of hands-on service hours to assist communities throughout the United States, Africa and in developing countries. Washington, DC is the site of the national headquarters. To learn more about The Links, Incorporated, visit the website at www.linksinc.org.