The Mara Fund

A fund to combat shame associated with breast cancer,
Residing at Susan G. Komen for the Cure

Mission Statement
In memory and continuation of the work of Marguerite “Mara” Rose Galaty, the fund supports Komen for the Cure’s cancer awareness and education activities in countries where shame is the major obstacle to early detection and treatment. It also targets under-privileged communities, including those in less-developed countries, the type of place where Mara was active.

Purpose
Always speaking about her own experience and sharing her story, Mara was a strong champion on behalf of breast cancer patients and the need to be vocal about the disease without shame. Mara participated in a number of Komen for the Cure activities and was even featured at the Portland, Oregon’s first Race for the Cure.

With “The Mara Fund,” Komen for the Cure addresses the issue of overcoming shame through its international breast cancer awareness programs. Using the example of Mara Galaty, who was “un-embarrassable” when speaking of her fight with breast cancer, the Komen for the Cure Mara Fund will promote the local emergence of breast cancer survivor networks in countries in order to spread the message that cancer should not be a cause for shame, that symptoms should be immediately checked out, and that survival rates will go up dramatically the earlier diagnosis take place.

With the “Mara Fund,” Komen for the Cure will strengthen a segment for civil society in countries where citizens do not necessarily have a tradition of organizing themselves around a cause.

Komen for the Cure will have access to photographs of and stories about Mara Galaty and will use them to help other cancer patients overcome shame and fear. Mara’s birthday of March 29, a day on which Mara’s vast circle of friends and colleagues have pledged to perform acts of volunteerism, may be used to rally (breast) cancer survivors around the awareness cause, encouraging them to speak out and educate others who do not know where to turn when they develop a possible symptom of cancer.

Supporting the Mara Fund
Mara’s family requests, in lieu of flowers, that gifts in memory of Mara be made to “Susan G. Komen for the Cure – The Mara Fund”, PO Box 650309, Dallas, TX 75265 or online at www.komen.org/marafund and encourage Mara’s friends and family to keep this as an annual, tax-deductible charity in her memory.