KATU's Golf for the Cure raises $58,000, breaks a Komen fund-raising record

By KATU News and KATU.com Staff Published: Aug 22, 2009 at 12:52 PM PST Last Updated: Aug 26, 2009 at 10:58 AM PST
Shellie Bailey-Shah and Steve Dunn at
KATU’s Steve Dunn pitches a personal golf outing at the Golf for the Cure dinner auction. KATU’s Shellie Bailey-Shah organized and hosted the event. (Photo courtesy of: Eugene W. Wong)

ALOHA, Ore. – Golf for the Cure set a new fund-raising record for Susan G. Komen for the Cure in Oregon and Southwest Washington on Saturday.

The golf tournament and dinner auction, spearheaded by KATU Problem Solver and breast cancer survivor, Shellie Bailey-Shah, raised an estimated $58,000 toward breast cancer detection, education and services. That is the largest fund-raising effort by a non-Komen organization in this area.

“I am truly overwhelmed by the support in the Portland metro area, “ said Shellie.  “We exceeded my goal, and I have pretty high goals.” 

The amount raised is equivalent to the cost of 753 potentially life-saving mammograms, or 12 percent of what Komen is currently able to fund in Oregon and Southwest Washington.

The event, sponsored by KATU and the Northwestern University Alumni Club of Portland, drew 300 people to the Reserve Vineyards and Golf Club in Aloha, including golfers in the KATU family: Steve Dunn, Natali Marmion, Rhonda Shelby and Thom Jensen. 

During the event, Shellie honored the OHSU team that she credits with saving her life. Her oncologist Dr. Shiuh-Wen Luoh, her surgeon Dr. Arpana Naik and several of her chemotherapy nurses were in attendance. They were recognized with a standing ovation from the crowd.

“Now let’s work to put them out of business,” laughed Shellie, as she continued the auction.

Twenty-five percent of the money raised from Golf for the Cure will go to breast cancer research. The remaining 75 percent will stay in the community to fund free mammograms for uninsured and underinsured women and transportation services to life-saving treatments.

You can still help!  To donate to Golf for the Cure, click on this link: Donate to Golf for the Cure.

 

Additional information:

Shellie Bailey -Shah talks about her illness and recovery on AM Northwest, part I

Shellie Bailey -Shah talks about her illness and recovery on AM Northwest, part II

Breastfeeding reduces breast cancer risk in high-risk women

Breast cancer genes can come from father

Male relatives face risk from breast cancer genes