KIM BOURN

Kim Bourn goes the extra mile for those around her – literally.

When Kim moved to Tucson 19 years ago, she was an avid runner who participated in fundraising runs every year in memory of a dear friend who died of cancer. "When I found out Tucson didn't have a Race for the Cure, I thought 'I want to help Tucson have this race,'" Kim says. With a team of four women, Kim helped complete the lengthy application process and established the Southern Arizona Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The first S. AZ Race for the Cure® was hosted in 1999. Kim was the first Race Chair and the first Executive Director for the S.AZ Komen Affiliate. The experience transformed Kim's life and launched her career in public health. "I learned of the gaps in Southern Arizona's breast cancer treatment, screening, and education for women. Women were dying because they couldn't afford screening and treatment," Kim says.

Kim continues to be a vocal advocate for public health in Tucson, working with Critical Path Institute and volunteering with many public health organizations while raising three young children - Austin, Lindon, and Tanner - with her husband, Don. "My amazing support network and focusing on making our community better helps me be true to myself and in turn, emotionally solid for my family," Kim says. "I am so appreciative of the people in my life and the many opportunities they have helped provide me."

DR. JODY COMSTOCK

For Dr. Jody Comstock, no challenge is too big to tackle and anything is possible – even in the face of seemingly insurmountable trials.

As a mother to four children – Jamie, Carter, Kelly, and Tyler – with husband Dr. Frank Comstock, Jody knows the importance of celebrating and loving our children as often as we can. She enacts this belief every day, touching not only the hearts and minds of her own children but of every child she meets. For the past five years, Dr. Comstock has been actively involved with the Dream Street Foundation – an organization that provides camping programs for children with life-threatening illnesses. "Every day is an opportunity to make a difference for others – especially for children," Jody says. In both her practice and her personal life, Jody provides care and comfort to those around her, most recently by playing an extraordinary role in helping a young man and his family through his brain cancer diagnosis and treatment, and then providing support throughout his family's grieving process.

As a mentor, a physician, a friend, a wife, and as a mother, Jody has touched the lives of many through a career centered on healing and a life focused on sharing in the journeys of others. "Sharing a difficult journey can be as simple as the act of friendship or as multi-faceted as facilitating a medical intervention," Jody says. "I continue to be humbled and inspired by how many opportunities each of us is given to touch another person's life."

ROXANNA GREEN

Roxanna Green is a woman who treasures her relationships with John, her husband of eighteen years, her son Dallas, and her friends. She has led a life of service to others, through her former profession as a nurse and through her work in the philanthropic community as a volunteer for numerous organizations.

On January 8, 2011, Roxanna became the face of motherhood for Tucson, for Arizona, and for the nation when her nine-year-old daughter, Christina-Taylor, was killed in the shooting that injured Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and killed 5 others.

Roxanna maintains her optimistic outlook on life. "I try never to ask 'Why?' I stay focused on what I can do to honor my amazing daughter so that when she is looking down on me from heaven, she will say that she is proud of her mother," she says. Roxanna is now the CEO of the Christina-Taylor Green Memorial Foundation, an organization she founded to provide grants for community projects that embody her daughter's interests. "The foundation was established in the hopes of bringing her dreams to life," Roxanna says.

Roxanna has spent the year since her daughter's death working to ensure that Christina-Taylor's legacy endures forever. "As a parent, I believe that we all want to make our children's hopes come true," she says. "I want to do everything possible to make my daughter's dreams come to life for her."

MARJORIE REES

As a children's speech-language pathologist, Marjorie Rees touches the lives of hundreds of kids each year, but her love and care for others extends far beyond the doors of Rivera Elementary School.

Two years ago, Margie and her husband of 27 years, Dwight, started GutCheck Foundation, a non-profit organization that promotes education and research into the prevention and treatment of Clostridium septicum infections. Prior to 2008, neither Margie nor Dwight had ever heard of this seemingly rare bacterium that destroys tissue in the intestines and stomach.

That summer, Margie and Dwight received the news that their only child had leukemia. Andrew was a loving, funny teenager, and he was a fighter. After one month of chemotherapy, he was in remission, but the treatment suppressed his immune system. "Sadly, although Andrew beat leukemia, he died from the effects of this infection," Margie says. Andrew was 19 years old.

Margie honors the memory of her only child by trying to ensure that other families do not experience what she and Dwight experienced. "Dwight and I felt especially vulnerable when we couldn't help our own child survive since we've dedicated our lives as educators to enabling other children to succeed," Margie says. "Having my child and watching him mature into a remarkable young man remains the highlight of my life. We started the foundation to honor his spirit and to prevent this infection from claiming another imaginative soul."

JACKIE TOFEL

Jackie Tofel is a nurturing, compassionate woman whose deep faith and love for others make her a pillar of strength for everyone around her.

In 2006, Jackie's husband, Andy, was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer. As Andy battled the cancer, Jackie saw that their two young children, Sydney and Josh, needed a place to share their stories throughout their father's treatment. The Tofels began coming to Tu Nidito in 2008 to attend a group for children who have a parent diagnosed with a serious illness. Jackie guided her family through Andy's treatment while also being a role model for other families experiencing serious illness diagnoses. "Tu Nidito helped me to share my story as a caretaker with others who have a spouse with cancer. I want to offer hope for other caretakers," Jackie says. For 4 years, Jackie has been a constant in the adult group, welcoming new members and nurturing them as they experience the most difficult times imaginable.

Andy died last year after the cancer spread to his brain and lungs, but Jackie has maintained her positive outlook. She attributes her positivity, even during the most difficult times, to her deep faith. "God is the center of our lives, and we never lost sight of that," she says. "I am so blessed to have been married to my best friend for 14 years," Jackie says. "Andy taught me that life is a gift and we should be grateful every day."