Reflections from 2009 Race 1st-Place Finisher

To My Friends at the Komen Philadelphia Affiliate,

Thank you so much for the invite to the Komen Philadelphia Volunteer Party - but more importantly thank you for everything you do to help raise the awareness of breast cancer and provide support and funding for research and development.

Breast cancer is near and dear to my heart. My sister at the age of thirty-six with six children passed away from this horrible disease. My mom and grandmother both had breast cancer and survived.

My family and I have been participating in this event for the past eighteen years and most recently I have recruited my neighbors. This very well organized event is for a great cause. I will continue to run this event until my legs tell me otherwise.

Thank you so much.

Gert Freas

This May, the Komen Philadelphia Affiliate proudly awarded Gert with the 2009 Komen Philadelphia Race for the Cure 1st-place female finisher prize. We applaud Gert for her courageous fight as a co-survivor in her mother's fight against breast cancer, as well as for her ongoing determination to end this disease for all women.