Lifetime Legacy Society

Founding Members

A Mother’s Love

“No mother wants to see their child hurt, sick or in pain. Edi Pollaert, a new member of Komen’s Lifetime Legacy Society, had to be a very strong woman to go through all of that, three times.” Read more

No mother wants to see their child hurt, sick or in pain. Edi Pollaert, a new member of Komen’s Lifetime Legacy Society, had to be a very strong woman to go through all of that, three times. Her two older daughters fought breast cancer and underwent double mastectomies, while the youngest had preemptive surgery due to her increased risks.

Genetic testing revealed that Edi’s late husband’s family are carriers and sufferers of Fragile X Syndrome (FXS), which can cause severe intellectual impairment and developmental delays. Edi shared that “through God’s blessing [her] late husband and three daughters did not have the full-blown syndrome, but they were all found to be carriers, and the effects of this rather unknown condition were still devastating.”

Edi’s late husband developed Fragile X-Associated Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome (FXTAS) which causes symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease. As carriers of FXS, Edi’s daughters were all at an increased risk for early menopause and breast cancer, something that was discovered relatively recently. Thankfully, all of Edi’s daughters are now doing well and have not had their cancer return. Because of Edi’s thankfulness for the excellent care her daughters have received, she now wants to pay it forward and help other women in this fight.

Her planned gift will make a real difference in the lives of those affected by breast cancer, and we are deeply appreciative of her generosity.

Leaving a Legacy of Hope

Please consider joining Edi as a Founding Member of our Lifetime Legacy Society by naming Komen as a beneficiary of your will, trust, IRA, retirement plan or life insurance policy. Your gift will provide critical support to those facing breast cancer and help further our shared vision to end breast cancer forever.

If you have already named Komen in your estate plan or would like to learn more, please fill out this form or contact Trish Davis at 972-701-2171 or tdavis@komen.org.

Diane’s Legacy

Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, Diane received a BS degree in Education from the University of Maryland, College Park. She had a varied career, working as an assistant for a Maryland congressman, teaching elementary, then preschool, for 18 years and finally as a medical assistant for several physician practices for another 18 years. Read more

Diane always maintained balance in her life, which included extensive volunteer work, sports, exercise, travel, reading, canasta, mah jongg, cooking, and baking. Dedication was one of Diane’s strongest attributes, which was evident in each of her endeavors and relationships. Above all was her commitment to family, particularly her husband, Howard, of 51 years, and her children, Beth and Todd (both now grown).

In 2007, when she was originally diagnosed with breast cancer, which she proudly overcame following surgeries, chemo and radiation treatments, she hardly missed a beat, continuing her work and routine. She was so grateful for her outcome that she chose to give back by volunteering at the infusion center of a local hospital and Hopewell Cancer Support in Baltimore, as well as doing fundraising for The Susan G. Komen Foundation. After being diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in November 2020, Diane never let this define or victimize her. Instead, she remained remarkably positive and active, while waging a hard-fought battle for as long as she possibly could. Tragically, she succumbed to this dreaded disease in July 2022.

As Diane dealt with the many challenges of her terminal illness, she reflected on the countless blessings in her life, which included having sound health insurance and personal financial resources, so that she never had to worry about affording the best possible medical care. Knowing the high costs, Diane often wondered how those less fortunate could access the necessary treatment to have a chance against breast cancer. Due to the opportunities afforded to her in life, she wanted to further give back in death, by naming the Susan G. Komen Foundation as a financial beneficiary of her estate.

Diane was always there for others as a loving, caring wife, mom, daughter, sister, friend, teacher, and volunteer. Hopefully, even those who did not know Diane will feel her support, encouragement, and warmth through the impact gift from her estate to the Komen Lifetime Legacy Society. This gift is meant to help meet the financial needs of patients who reach out to the Komen Foundation for assistance with preventative care, diagnostics, and treatment.

May Diane’s memory be a blessing to all who benefitted and will continue to benefit from her kindness.

A Beautiful Legacy Following a Life Well Lived

“It was like a scene out of a movie,” their nephew, Anthony, recalls. A couple of months later, Mimi and Lucy were married in Italy and Mimi immigrated to the U.S. They made their home in New York, where Mimi owned a pizzeria. “My aunt and uncle were like famous cooks in the family,” Anthony recalled. “All of the nieces and nephews would come over to see what Lucy was cooking. We had a full house of people coming to have dinner.” Read more

Loved ones recall Domenico “Mimi” and Lucy Moccia’s meeting as something out of a movie. It was the mid-1950s and Lucy and two of her girlfriends traveled by ship to see family in Italy. Mimi showed the girls the sites and fell in love with Lucy.

In the early 1990s, Lucy was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a double mastectomy. Before she passed away in 2013, she and Mimi included Susan G. Komen® in their will, bequeathing $250,000 to help people in Florida access critical breast cancer services, where they had retired. Lucy, who had always undergone regular mammograms, wanted to leave a gift to Susan G. Komen in hopes of helping other women with breast cancer.

If you share Komen’s vision of a world without breast cancer, you may be interested in joining the Lifetime Legacy Society, which honors individuals who have made a commitment to the fight against breast cancer through a planned gift.

Leaving a Legacy of Hope

Please consider joining Domenico as a Founding Member of our Lifetime Legacy Society by naming Komen as a beneficiary of your will, trust, IRA, retirement plan or life insurance policy. Your gift will provide critical support to those facing breast cancer and help further our shared vision to end breast cancer forever.

If you have already named Komen in your estate plan or would like to learn more, please fill out this form or contact Trish Davis at 972-701-2171 or tdavis@komen.org.

Planned Giving is Easier than Most People Think

“The biggest misconception about estate planning is that you have to be wealthy to leave money to an organization. The reality is that you can leave a set amount or a portion of your estate, no matter the amount. Every little bit helps move the mission forward.” Read more

Lacey Wicks has a long and deeply personal relationship with Susan G. Komen. As a volunteer, Race for the Cure participant and former employee, Lacey shared that, “Komen is a wonderful organization and is truly a part of my life.”

After Lacey’s grandmother passed away from breast cancer, she wanted to learn more about the disease and turned to Komen. Lacey’s mother and aunt were also both diagnosed with breast cancer years later but are thankfully now both breast cancer survivors. Lacey credits their good health to “research and advocacy done by Komen.” Lacey has also personally put the information she learned from Komen to good use and shared that she has “been performing [breast] self-exams since her 20s and started receiving early mammograms in her 30s.”

After participating in a meeting regarding planned giving through her job, Lacey realized that she needed to “take action.” To honor the women in her life who have been touched by this disease, Lacey decided to make a future gift to Komen. Lacey noted that, “planned giving is easier than most people think.” She further shared that she, “thinks the biggest misconception about estate planning is that you have to be wealthy to leave money to an organization. The reality is that you can leave a set amount or a portion of your estate, no matter the amount. Every little bit helps move the mission forward.”

We cannot thank Lacey enough for her longtime service to Komen and her inspiring generosity.

Leaving a Legacy of Hope

Please consider joining Lacey as a Founding Member of our Lifetime Legacy Society by naming Komen as a beneficiary of your will, trust, IRA, retirement plan or life insurance policy. Your gift will provide critical support to those facing breast cancer and help further our shared vision to end breast cancer forever.

If you have already named Komen in your estate plan or would like to learn more, please fill out this form or contact Trish Davis at 972-701-2171 or tdavis@komen.org.

Honoring a Loved One

Michael Niskar recently shared that, “it feels nice knowing that after I’m gone, my small gesture of supporting Komen will hopefully make the person who was and is my hero in life a little proud — my mom.” Read more

After recently making a generous planned gift to Susan G. Komen by noting the organization as a beneficiary of his life insurance policy, Michael Niskar shared that, “it feels nice knowing that after I’m gone, my small gesture of supporting Komen will hopefully make the person who was and is my hero in life a little proud — my mom.”

In remembering his mother and her lasting impact on his life, Michael noted that, “she was the most loving, selfless and giving person I’ve ever known, and I was lucky enough to have her as my mom.” Michael’s mother, Arlene Niskar, was a strong supporter of Komen, and after losing her best friend, Vivian, to breast cancer, felt strongly about our mission to save lives and end breast cancer forever.

Honoring his mother and setting up his planned gift was even easier than Michael expected. He shared that a simple call to his insurance agent allowed him to easily note Komen as a beneficiary of his policy. He further encouraged others that, “regardless of your financial status…contact a knowledgeable insurance agent or estate planner to see about helping with your individual situation.”

Michael concluded by adding that Komen’s work can be summed up in one word, “HOPE.” “Komen has made so much progress over the years and it feels nice to see how much hope you give to families around the world providing a comfort that would otherwise not be there.”

We are so appreciative of Michael’s support and deeply honored to have the opportunity to recognize Arlene Niskar’s legacy of generosity and hope.

Leaving a Legacy of Hope

Please consider joining Michael as a Founding Member of our Lifetime Legacy Society by naming Komen as a beneficiary of your will, trust, IRA, retirement plan or life insurance policy. Your gift will provide critical support to those facing breast cancer and help further our shared vision to end breast cancer forever.

If you have already named Komen in your estate plan or would like to learn more, please fill out this form or contact Trish Davis at 972-701-2171 or tdavis@komen.org.

Helping Others Win the Fight

Sue and Skip McGoun were recently inspired “to make a bequest to Susan G. Komen [in memory of] two beloved relatives whom Sue lost to cancer.” Read more

Creating your legacy to honor a loved one whose life has been impacted by breast cancer will make a difference in the lives of those facing this disease in the future. Sue and Skip McGoun were recently inspired “to make a bequest to Susan G. Komen [in memory of] two beloved relatives whom Sue lost to cancer.”

In remembering her family, Sue shared that her “Grandmother, Charlotte Gaouette, survived colon and ovarian cancer twice, only to succumb to it the third time in 1982 at the age of 89” and her “cousin, Ginny Plourde…endured breast cancer, numerous treatments and surgeries until it spread, causing her departure in 2017 at the age of 78.”

Sue and Skip feel strongly about supporting Komen’s research investment, because although they believe that “all areas of Komen’s work [are] important…[they] support research because of the hope that new treatments and cures will be discovered.” Sue’s relatives were “strong in their fight against cancer and did everything they could to win the fight.” In remembering their family, Sue and Skip added that, “While their fight is over, we hope our donation to Komen will help others to win. We believe in and greatly admire all the work that Komen does to help those fighting cancer and for families who have lost loved ones.”

We are so thankful for the McGoun’s generous support which will allow Komen to continue “its efforts in finding cures to end this disease once and for all.”

Your Gift Ensures Hope for the Future

Please consider joining the McGoun’s and honor someone special in your life by leaving a lasting legacy of hope. You can provide critical support for those facing breast cancer by naming Susan G. Komen as a beneficiary of your will, trust, IRA, retirement plan or life insurance policy. Gifts of any size — large or small — make a major impact on our work.

If you have already named Komen in your estate plan or would like to learn more, please fill out this form or contact Trish Davis at 972-701-2171 or tdavis@komen.org.

Support For Those Facing Breast Cancer

Although Barbara Frances Boston-Rodriguez had known about Susan G. Komen for a long time, her mother’s breast cancer diagnosis is what really inspired her interest in our mission to save lives. Read more

Although Barbara Frances Boston-Rodriguez had known about Susan G. Komen for a long time, her mother’s breast cancer diagnosis is what really inspired her interest in our mission to save lives.

During a recent conversation with Barbara, she shared that her mother was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer while her father was already battling pancreatic cancer, and the situation really “rocked” her. Barbara is so thankful to her mother’s doctor who recommended having the tumor biopsied right away. They discovered that the cancer was very aggressive and were able to start treatment immediately.

When it came time to start thinking about her estate plan, Barbara turned to an online resource to help create her will. She noted that the site was very detailed and user friendly, but also recommends to others to have a “lawyer review the will you create to make sure you are following [your] state’s requirements.”

In considering non-profits to include in her will, Komen felt like a natural fit. Komen’s mission resonates strongly with Barbara, as she has lost two grandparents to cancer, and as noted above, both of her parents also battled various forms of the disease. Barbara knows that she and her two daughters have an increased risk, but by supporting Komen, she will help further research that will find cures and provide vital services to patients in need well into the future.

Leaving a Legacy of Hope

Consider joining Barbara as a Founding Member of our Lifetime Legacy Society by naming Komen as a beneficiary of your will, trust, IRA, retirement plan or life insurance policy. Your gift will provide critical support to those facing breast cancer and help further our shared vision to end breast cancer forever.

If you have already named Komen in your estate plan or would like to learn more, please fill out this form or contact Trish Davis at 972-701-2171 or tdavis@komen.org.

Giving So That All May Receive

When asked why they support Susan G. Komen, John and Susan Dorr said, “It is because of the excellent awareness that is provided and, most important, for the research to prevent breast cancer.” The Dorrs choose to support Komen’s mission through their estate plan. Read more

“We have seen numerous issues that arise when families don’t have an estate plan or will, so we decided many years ago to prepare our plan and wills,” the couple said. “We also prefer to make the appropriate decisions on our estate plan while we are still healthy and knowledgeable.”

Specifically, the Dorrs give through an individual retirement account (IRA), which provides added benefits. “I learned that I could gain some additional benefits if I directed our donations from my IRA account,” said John. “We had our tax accountant review and advise us on how to proceed. We determined how much we needed to use for our future lifestyle and then we assessed the impact of direct giving on our taxes. It is an easy process.”

And finally, the couple added, “God has blessed all of us with various levels of material and monetary wealth, no matter how large or small. It is ours to manage and use while we are living this life. We can share our blessings with others and help the future generations, whether family or not.”

We are so thankful for our friends John and Susan Dorr.

Your Gift Ensures Hope for the Future

We would love to hear from you if you have named Susan G. Komen in your estate plan. Contact Trish Davis at 972-701-2171 or tdavis@komen.org to let us know about your long-term commitment to end breast cancer.

Helping Others Win the Fight

Cory Spiro is remembered by her sister, Kimberly, as a free spirit who loved to travel. In the early 2000s, Cory was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was caught at an early stage and her treatment included radiation therapy. For more than 44 years, Cory worked as a flight attendant for American Airlines, and even had an airplane named after her. “Cory loved life and loved her friends and family,” Kimberly said. When Cory passed away in March 2018, she left a gift of nearly $2 million to Susan G. Komen. Her gift will provide funds to advance breast cancer research, a fitting legacy for a woman who loved helping others.

Your Gift Ensures Hope for the Future

Bob Tremblay

When Bob Tremblay passed away in April 2023, he left a gift of $25,000 to Susan G. Komen. In 1976, Bob’s mother passed away from breast cancer after a long battle. “Treatments back then were tough on the body, and I wonder if advancements out today could have saved her or provided more time with her,” said Bob’s son, John. Read more

“My father’s lifelong compassion for others came from her and is the reason he wanted to leave part of his estate to Komen.” Bob enjoyed seeing the positive impact he could have on the world, and his family remembers him as a man devoted to helping and bringing joy to others. Bob’s gift to Komen helps ensure that people affected by breast cancer and their loved ones can find help and hope.

Information contained herein was accurate at the time of posting. The information on this website is not intended as legal or tax advice. For such advice, please consult an attorney or tax advisor. Figures cited in any examples are for illustrative purposes only. References to tax rates include federal taxes only and are subject to change. State law may further impact your individual results.