Farewell to a Friend

Janet Ralston (left) and former Board member Ginny Clark at the 2005 Komen Greater NYC Race for the Cure.

It is with great sadness that we share news of the death of Janet Ralston, former Director of Development here at Komen Greater NYC. She died on January 20, 2012 at the age of 62.
Former board members and other members of the Komen Greater NYC family remember Janet for her hard work, positive can-do attitude and commitment to our vision of a world without breast cancer.

"Janet was deeply committed to Komen," said Linda Kahn, past co-president of the Komen Greater NYC Board of Directors. "She worked tirelessly to build awareness for our mission, expand Komen Greater NYC's reach in the community and diversify funding sources. She was always positive and determined and met each challenge with great enthusiasm and good spirits. She welcomed everyone with her warm smile. We will miss her.

Janet's legacy lives on at Komen Greater NYC today. "She was the steward of longstanding relationships with sponsors like 1010 WINS and Key Foods, as well as the initiator of other sponsor partnerships that are still going strong," explained current Komen Greater NYC Director of Development Michelle Marquez.

Before coming to Komen Greater NYC, Janet had a career as a successful model in the northeastern U.S., earned Bachelors and Masters degrees, and became a development and strategic planning consultant for corporations and nonprofits. In addition to Komen Greater NYC, she worked with the Women's Refugee Commission, Children's Museum of Manhattan and National Center for Boundless Playgrounds. Janet also volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, Serve Corps and CitiHope International. She was an active member of the Asylum Hill Congregational Church in Hartford.

Her loss is deeply felt by the Komen Greater NYC family. "Janet was a dear friend of the organization," said Eve Ellis, former Board secretary. "Her hard work and dedication to Komen Greater NYC in the past helped to make us a better and more strategic organization going forward. Janet managed to work in the trenches as well as guide us through strategic planning and somehow had a sparking smile during both kinds of work.

"I remember one year meeting Janet in the wee hours of the morning of the Race, both of us loaded down with equipment for set-up based on her organized plan. As quickly as possible, we fast-walked into the darkness of Central Park. We questioned each other about how we had signed up for this, but together we lugged and laughed. And we succeeded."

Janet Ralston is survived by her two sons.

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