Promise Me

More about the book

Suzy and Nancy Goodman were more than sisters; they were best friends and inseparable partners in life. Their bond endured college, marriage, and distance until Suzy was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1977. After three agonizing years, she passed away at thirty-six, shattering their dreams of a shared future. Raised in postwar Peoria, Illinois, by parents who believed in the power of small acts of charity, Suzy was the enthusiastic homecoming queen, while Nancy was the justice-driven tomboy. They shared everything, from makeup tips to plans for glamorous careers, and even traveled together in Europe. In an era when breast cancer was stigmatized and rarely discussed, Suzy faced the indignities of treatment with Nancy by her side. As Suzy endured, she made Nancy promise to break the silence surrounding the disease and to advocate for research. Following Suzy’s shocking death, Nancy channeled her grief into fundraising, supported by her husband, Norman Brinker. Nancy’s mission gained urgency when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1984, but unlike Suzy, she survived. She transformed Susan G. Komen for the Cure into a leading health charity, turning the pink ribbon into a worldwide symbol of hope. Thanks to over $1.5 billion in funding for research and programs, breast cancer survival rates have dramatically improved. This story celebrates sisterhood and the profound impact one person can have in changing perceptions and ou