Lt. governor dedicates participation in cancer event to secretary of state

Concern about finding a cure for breast cancer swept aside political divisions Monday as Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder said he would dedicate his participation in a fund-raising event to Secretary of State Robin Carnahan.

Kinder, a Republican, was joined by two Democratic lawmakers, Sen. Maida Coleman and Rep. Rachel Storch, at a news conference to announce he will run in the 2006 Komen-St. Louis Race for the Cure on behalf of Carnahan, who was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year.

Carnahan is a Democrat, who in a statement at the time of her diagnosis said the cancer was diagnosed early and doctors expected a full recovery. Kinder and the lawmakers called on state and local officials to join them in the 5-kilometer race.

The St. Louis chapter of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation expects more than 60,000 people to take part in the June 10 race, according to the foundation's Internet site. Last year's race raised $2.2 million for the foundation.

Of the money raised, 75 percent stays in the metro St. Louis area to fund education, treatment and screening programs and 25 percent supports a national grant program for breast cancer research.