Country Club Raised $1.8 Million Dollars for Breast Cancer

What started as a tribute to two best friends became a million dollar effort to find a cure for breast cancer.

In 1998, Diane Greenfield lost two of her best friends to breast cancer. Back in the day, a breast cancer diagnosis was kept under wraps. It was almost embarrassing to say that you have been touched by the disease. The social stigma has caused countless women to be diagnosed in the later stages. In addition, it has also prevented women from seeking education and assistance.

This was the stigma that Diane wanted to end. She wanted women in her community to know that breast cancer strikes young, healthy women like her friends. Unwilling to forget their struggle, she started the very first Susan G. Komen event at the Tumble Brook Country Club.

Over its 20-year run, the Tumble Brook Play for A Cure has raised over $1.8 Million for the Susan G. Komen Southern New England Foundation. A reputable feat indeed! Certainly, Diane has made good on her promise to keep her friends’ legacies alive by helping others. Two decades of hard work has made the Tumblebrook community one of the biggest donors to breast cancer aid and research.

What keeps them going after 20 years?

Diane is thankful for the unending support given by Tumblebrook Club members and the community. An effort like this is cannot be possible without the continued support of volunteers and breast cancer advocates throughout the years.

The funds raised by the event doesn’t only go towards finding a cure. The community also provides assistance to women who do not have access to mammograms. Early detection is the key in preventing loss of life from breast cancer. In addition, there are also more treatments available to women in the early stages as compared to those diagnosed in the 3^rd or 4^th stage. This is the reason why it is important for women to have access to education, diagnostic examinations and treatment.

Dianne and her team are delighted to receive thank you notes from complete strangers who were positively affected by their event. Notes from doctors, survivors, family members and community members come pouring in to thank the organizers for their efforts. It is this kind of support that inspires the Tumblebrook community to keep going.

When asked about their secret to success, Dianne was quick to point out that it has never been a one-woman job. She gives all the credit to community members volunteered, donated and played their hearts out for breast cancer survivors.

In celebration of their 20^th year, the Tumble Brook Play for a Cure community received a special message from the founder of the Susan G. Komen Foundation, Nancy Brinkler.