Susan G. Komen Maryland is expanding into Sussex and Kent Counties and has hired a new Delmarva development manager to lead the effort. And that person is a familiar face in the First State:
Karen Falk is no stranger to marketing and non-profit management. She’s the former director of Southern Delaware Tourism and she’s worked for Rehoboth Beach Main Street.
Falk says she’s thrilled to put her expertise to work for Susan G. Komen Maryland - an organization that helps so many, “I have family members who have had breast cancer - who have passed away from breast cancer - friends and….there are people in communities here who are sitting next to someone - either you or the person next to you know someone with this disease.”
Falk hopes to educate more people about breast cancer - especially during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, “Living here on Delmarva, I see it. And I know that we need more information to help people get early detection so they can survive. The survival rate is high when you’re able to know that you have this disease early on.”
Falk started her new position last week and she says her role is to engage people in Sussex and Kent Counties, “I’m really excited about it because it (Susan G. Komen) really hasn’t had a lot of presence here in Kent and Sussex Counties. They (Susan G. Komen officials) noticed that there are a lot of folks that are relocating here and we already have a lot of people who already live here - obviously - and our demographics are women who are getting older.”
Falk says the most common risk factors for breast cancer are being female and getting older. She also notes that breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the U.S.
She points out the survival rate for breast cancer is extremely high when it’s detected early.
Komen Maryland has invested more than $5 million in Eastern Shore programs since it was founded in 1993.
Falk says Komen has set a “Bold Goal” to reduce the current number of breast cancer deaths by 50% in the U.S. by 2026.
