Pink Ribbon of the Month, August: Mary Thompson

It is with much honor and gratitude that we dedicate our August Pink Ribbon to the memory of Mary Markham Thompson, a loving breast cancer survivor who passed away of other causes this past winter. We do so in friendship with her children, Karen Givnish, Mark Thompson and Diane Muntean, as well as her four grandchildren.


Although Mary is no longer with us in body, her spirit lives on in her children, grandchildren and friends, inspired by her courageous battle with the disease, as well as her personal mission to empower as many women as possible with the access to care that saved her life from breast cancer.  Demonstrating her steadfast devotion to this cause, Mary designated $50,000 of her estate for donation to the Philadelphia Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. 

 

Shortly after she was diagnosed with breast cancer ten years ago, Mary relocated from South Carolina to Lower Gwynedd, PA. She was no stranger to the disease, having taken the breast cancer journey with her daughter, Karen, three years earlier. From the moment of her daughter's diagnosis, Mary was impacted by the prevalence of breast cancer across generations and took up the quest to help empower the cures - not so much for herself, but for her children and grandchildren.

 

Karen found herself in the rather unique position of a daughter being able to support her mother through the decision-making, treatment and healing process, based on experience.  However, Karen also found that, as much as she helped Mary, Mary helped her... as well as many others.

 

"All the while she was going through this - even the most difficult times dealing with the cancer - it was very important to my mother that whatever she did, it helped someone else," said Karen Givnish.  "She'd be sick, sitting in the infusion chair, and still was a ray of sunshine... engaging the staff and other patients, asking about their families, and just genuinely caring about their lives. She didn't want the focus to be on her, but truly found strength in expressing her genuine care for others."

 

Through all the trials of her own and her daughter's fight against breast cancer, Mary refused to be limited by the negative, instead living and loving life... embracing each day for the happiness in contained.  The happiness and hope embodied in the Komen Philadelphia Race for the Cure certainly did not elude her, an event she experienced several times as a proud spectator while her daughter, granddaughter and grandson completed the 5K.

 

"She was very inspired by all the pink and tremendous efforts of the Race. This, coupled with the innate generosity that lived in the hearts of my parents - it came as no surprise that my mother's will contained the donation to the Komen Philadelphia Affiliate. The two of them simply wanted to help people because they cared.  I am so very proud of both of them."

 

All those who knew Mary - and even those who may only have met her once or twice - knew of her conviction that with proper access to screening, treatment and follow-up care for ALL people, one day all generations could be living in a world where breast cancer is no longer a threat to any life. She knew that the care they received saved her life and her daughter's from the disease... and she made it her personal mission to do whatever she could to help assure that women in need had access to the same care.

 

The Affiliate is extremely proud to be entrusted with the legacy Mary has left to empower the breast cancer movement. We celebrate her life by sharing the lessons she has left all of us through the way she embraced life, empowered the cures and instilled hope in the hearts of all those around her.


As Mary was fond of saying as she faced the challenges of the disease, "Tomorrow will be a better day." Thanks to Mary's love and generosity, tomorrow will be a better day for generations of women waking up as winners in the fight against breast cancer.