The Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, which raises funds for breast cancer research, education and outreach programs, has been held in Pittsburgh's Schenley Park on Mother's Day morning since 1993.

The race traces its origins to Nancy Brinker, sister of Susan G. Komen. Nancy promised her sister that she would do something so that women with breast cancer would not have to go through what Susan did. Susan died of breast cancer at age 36, and Nancy started the organization in 1982.

The Pittsburgh affiliate of Komen has raised more than $16 million since its launch and is one of more than 100 affiliates of Komen for the Cure, which is headquartered in Dallas. Last year's Pittsburgh race attracted more than 35,000 runners and walkers including 2,600 breast cancer survivors.

Kathy Purcell, formerly a social worker at Magee-Womens Hospital who specialized in work with oncology patients, became executive director of Komen Pittsburgh in January. This year's race will be held May 11.

Q: What's the fund-raising climate like during this economic slowdown?

A: It's a difficult time. But my philosophy is the money's out there and organizations are going to give money to someone, so you need to make your cause known.

I think in this area especially -- breast cancer research funding -- people are aware, primarily because of Komen, of the numbers of people involved.

It's possible to raise money -- just a little harder. When I was asking one of our doctors [at Magee-Womens] for a reference for this job, he said: "You really want to do this? You like asking people for money?" I said that actually I don't. But when it's a cause I believe in, then, yes, I do.

Q: Do you have a fund-raising goal for this year's race?

A: We don't actually set a goal in terms of an exact number. For me, in my first year, I want to continue to raise money and do a little better than last year and increase the participation in the race.

Q: Is there enough room in Schenley Park for more people? You exceeded 35,000 last year.

A: Certainly. There's always room for one more. ... One in eight women during her lifetime is diagnosed with breast cancer, or 400,000 a year. And 40,000 people die each year from breast cancer. So there are 35,000 people at our race and you look at how crowded it is and that's approximately the number of women who will die this year from breast cancer. That to me is astounding.

Q: Why is there such a tremendous response to the race each year? .....

A: I think because one, a lot of work has been done in awareness issues, especially by Susan G. Komen for the Cure. People have heard of it; it's not a hidden disease anymore as it was years ago. Also, it is very hard to find someone who doesn't know someone who has had breast cancer, or who has not had a family member affected, or who doesn't work with someone who's wife has breast cancer, or who has not lost a wife or a mother to breast cancer.

Q: How much of the money you raise annually is generated by the race, and how are the funds used?

A: About 90 percent. Probably what a lot of the community isn't aware of is that we're here year-round and we are more than the race. The race is the way we raise money to be able to do what we do. Part of that is education and advocacy. We grant money to nonprofit organizations in our affiliate area to accomplish the mission of breast cancer programs. The Pittsburgh affiliate is 30 counties. Last year we granted out, I believe, $1.5 million.

Our largest program is mammogram vouchers -- a way for women who are either uninsured or underinsured to get mammograms. We also granted two radiology fellowships because radiologists are difficult enough to recruit and those [who] specialize in breast cancer issues are very hard to recruit. We awarded the fellowships at Magee and Allegheny General Hospital. We also funded a surgical oncology breast fellowship at Magee.

At the Meadville Medical Center, we funded a yearly program to increase breast cancer awareness and encourage women to do a screening mammogram. They had a mobile unit there and 30 women got mammograms. We also funded a project for genetic counselors at Hillman Cancer Center to do telemedicine for outlying areas.

Q: You come from a background in social work rather than a corporate career. What attracted you to this job and what do you bring to the table?

A: I've always been involved with Komen and the organization has always been very important to me. At Magee, we always had a large team participating in the race. I would assist Komen with speaking engagements or have them send patients my way.

About a year ago, I joined the board of directors. So when the job became open and the recruiting started, it took me a little bit of time to decide. Was it the right time to change my career, the right time to leave the hospital? It was an opportunity I didn't want to let pass by.

One of the things I bring to the job is that while I'm not a breast cancer survivor and have not personally felt what I call that paralyzing fear when you're first diagnosed, I have been able to be part of many women's worlds while they're going through that. I carry the stories of thousands of women with me. I understand what a diagnosis can bring not only to that individual, but I've been trained to look at family systems and society systems. I know what we have lost as a society from the many women we've lost to this disease. That is what drives me every day.

Q: How big is the staff at Komen Pittsburgh, and what's your management style?

A: Counting myself, we have three full-time people and one part-time person. I think I would say my management is a lot of consensus building and discussion about getting people's opinion. But ultimately, I make a decision.

Q: Will there be a cure for breast cancer in your lifetime?

A: That is the mission and the promise of Susan G. Komen for the Cure: that in the next 10 years we will do everything possible to find a cure.

[The mission] always has been to eradicate this as a life-threatening disease.