Garner Receives National Honors For Enhancing Breast Cancer Services

Outstanding Volunteer
Carrie Walsh, SVP Marketing Susan G. Komen; Connie O’Neill, Chair of the Board of Directors Susan G. Komen; Alesa Garner; Judith Salerno, MD, MS, President and CEO of Susan G. Komen and Miguel Perez, SVP Affiliate Network Susan G. Komen

Susan G. Komen® recently honored Alesa Garner with the “Outstanding Volunteer Award” during its annual Komen Leadership Conference in Fort Worth, TX. This national honor recognizes an individual who has worked with an Affiliate for more than five years and has embraced the promise and core values of the Komen organization, acting as a positive agent of change throughout the course of his or her service.

Alesa Garner was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1998. As a result, she changed jobs to work for St. Vincent Health Systems in the New Outlook Cancer Program, which at the time was the only center in the state to offer women diagnosed with cancer a full range of supportive services, regardless of their economic situation.

After starting St. Vincent’s first Race for the Cure team, Alesa became heavily involved with Komen Arkansas. She has served on the Education, Grants, Development and Race Committees, played key roles in writing the Community Profile and served on the Arkansas Board of Directors. Feeling that there was still more she could do, Garner became a certified Clinical Breast Cancer Navigator last year.

Garner’s contribution to the global work of Susan G. Komen has empowered countless individuals and has had a great influence on breast health services in Arkansas. Due to her efforts working with Komen and the local health community, Arkansas now has 26 breast cancer service locations, all providing a full range of services that are often funded by Komen grants. Her work has further decreased the barriers to accessing breast cancer screening services.