Volunteers
Komen Columbus is a volunteer driven organization. We need more than 1500 volunteers a year to continue our local Race for the Cure and other activities throughout the year. Our volunteers are held in the highest regard, because their crucial work and passion are what makes our work possible. Join us and make an impact on eradicating breast cancer as a life threatening disease.
SUSAN G. KOMEN FOR THE CURE HONORS MIGUEL PEREZ WITH
JILL IRELAND AWARD FOR VOLUNTARISM
Susan G. Komen for the Cure awarded Miguel Perez, president of Komen’s Columbus Affiliate, its prestigious Jill Ireland Award for Voluntarism. The award was presented at Komen’s annual Affiliate Leadership Conference, Feb. 8-9, in Dallas. Komen for the Cure is the world’s largest and most progressive grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and advocates.
The Jill Ireland Award for Voluntarism honors the memory of actress Jill Ireland, a friend of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, who died of breast cancer in 1990 at the age of 54. Her optimism and determination throughout her fight became such an inspiration to others that she was awarded the Medal of Courage by President Ronald Regan. Komen’s Jill Ireland Award for Voluntarism annually recognizes an individual and a corporation or organization that champion the Komen promise with the courage and limitless boundaries of Jill Ireland. Awardees go beyond the scope of the Affiliate activists to inspire others to serve.
Elected as Komen’s Columbus Affiliate’s first male president in January 2006, Perez is described as inspiring people to join Komen’s promise to save lives and end breast cancer everywhere he goes.
“[It] doesn’t matter if it was his workplace or social setting,” Jenny Swope, Komen Columbus’ Volunteer chair said. “It’s sometimes difficult to put into words, but people are drawn to and inspired by his passion. Solely because they’ve met him, they’re inspired by him. I can’t tell you how many volunteers come to us because they met Miguel at some function and want to help in the mission he holds so dear to his heart.”
Perez’s inspiration is from his sister’s 11-year battle with breast cancer. With a budding show-business dream in New York City, Miguel returned to Columbus in 1996 when his sister, experienced a recurrence of breast cancer. He accompanied her and the family through dozens of chemotherapy treatments throughout her cycle of remissions and recurrences.
Perez founded and manages the Vicki Speakman Memorial Fund, in honor of his sister who passed away in June 2002. The fund raises money through individual contributions and supports breast cancer education and awareness programs.
With the help of a medical expert, Perez developed a teaching video for medical students, residents and physicians on the most current standards of clinical breast examinations. The method, when tested at the Oregon Health and Sciences University, showed that examiners were six times more likely to find a breast mass. The training module and technique are used locally at the Ohio State University, as well as other residency programs throughout central Ohio. It has also received national, and even international attention, being used by WebMD and colleges and universities throughout the country. The Vicki Speakman Memorial Fund provides support and funding for this on-going training,
In 2005, Komen’s Columbus Affiliate’s board of directors elected him president for a three-year term with the hope that Perez’s work would raise the Affiliate’s profile throughout Columbus and its surrounding service area. They were not disappointed. Before Perez’s involvement as Affiliate president, the Affiliate awarded a then-record $660,000 to central Ohio breast cancer prevention programs. Under Perez’s leadership in 2006 – the first year in his term – Komen Columbus funded a record $1.2 million to a number of programs from within its 23-county service area.
Perez was also on the team from Komen’s Columbus Affiliate that helped secure, the first ever $5 million in the two-year Ohio State Budget for breast cancer screening and treatment, monies to be used when the federal funding runs out.
“People are going to get the breast cancer screening and treatment they deserve because Miguel doesn’t back down from a challenge,” said Denise DePalma, development chair and board member at the Affiliate. “The reach that Miguel has in the breast cancer community is no accident. There are no coincidences with Miguel. He does everything with purpose and passion. As president of our Affiliate Board, he sees every challenge as an opportunity, every setback as a teachable moment, and every accomplishment as a reason to celebrate. Miguel not only inspires everyone he meets but also strangers who merely hear or read of his passion to end breast cancer forever.”
