Komen - Promise Partners

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Promise Partners
By Laura Swift

American Airlines celebrates their partnership with Susan G. Komen with the unveiling of the first two of eight aircraft that will display the pink Komen ribbons.

The splashes of pink that adorned a DFW hangar set the appropriate tone for an afternoon celebrating the lifetime partnership of American Airlines and Susan G. Komen for the Cure. On display were an American Airlines 757 and American Eagle Embraer 145, each adorned with the famous Komen pink ribbons. The newly painted planes made their inaugural flights to DFW, joining hundreds of American Airlines employees and supporters in the commemoration of their work with Komen for the Cure.

The pink ribbons decorating the planes marked the beginning of a new level of partnership between AA and Komen. As the first-ever Komen Lifetime Promise Partner, AA has pledged to raise $1 million a year for eight years to fund the Promise Grant, which supports accelerated breast cancer research. As the two planes were unveiled, attendees were treated to cookies, candy, wristbands, T-shirts, and key chains all in bright pink, keeping with the Komen color. Speakers at the celebration included American Airlines Executive Vice President of Marketing Dan Garton, and President and CEO of Komen for the Cure Hala Moddelmog, who discussed the impact the Promise Grant will have on breast cancer research in the years to come.

This partnership speaks volumes about the quality and longevity of American's commitment to Komen, and the way the company and its employees share our sense of urgency in discovering and delivering the cures, Moddelmog said.

Also on hand was Desperate Housewives star Ricardo Chavira, who shared his personal story about the tragic effect breast cancer had on his childhood when he lost his mother to the disease. Hockey extraordinaire Mike Modano of the Dallas Stars and his wife, singer/songwriter Willa Ford attended to lend their support as well. But the true stars of the event were the breast cancer survivors in the audience, who were applauded for their courage in struggling with the disease. Each of the flight attendants in the two inaugural flights were breast cancer survivors.

AA plans to add pink ribbons to six more planes by October, bringing the total number of planes to eight, a number that is significant because 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime.