Mayor Lurie and Breast Cancer Survivors Unveil Nation’s First Permanent Breast Cancer Memorial Garden in Golden Gate Park

SAN FRANCISCO – Mayor Daniel Lurie was joined this weekend by Bay Area Young Survivors (BAYS) and the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department to unveil the BAYS Breast Cancer Memorial Garden in Golden Gate Park, the first permanent memorial of its kind in the United States dedicated to lives lost to breast cancer. The memorial honors the strength and spirit of those who died and the community of survivors that continue to carry their legacy forward.

Located at the junction of Arguello Boulevard and Conservatory Drive, this meaningful new space is the result of an 11-year collaboration between Rec and Park and BAYS, a volunteer-led nonprofit that supports individuals diagnosed with breast cancer aged 45 and under.

“This memorial is the first of its kind in the United States: a permanent public site dedicated to honoring all those we have lost to breast cancer. It is a place where we can come to remember the loved ones whose lives were cut short and a place where we can all find strength,” said Mayor Lurie. “I hope it inspires others to get involved, to support families, to get screened, to fund research, and to never look away. I want to thank Bay Area Young Survivors for your determination and vision to make this day possible.”

Thoughtfully designed to be a sanctuary of remembrance, reflection, and resilience, the garden features a serene seating area nestled among native plants and oak woodlands, with sweeping views of Conservatory Valley and Sutro Tower. Stone walkways—etched with powerful words from BAYS members living with breast cancer—wind through the memorial, while a graceful metal frame wraps around the space bearing the names of more than 100 BAYS members who died of metastatic breast cancer—a moving tribute to their strength, spirit, and legacy.

“Golden Gate Park is home to some of our city’s most treasured spaces—and now, with the opening of the BAYS Memorial Garden, we welcome a powerful new place of healing and hope,” said Phil Ginsburg, General Manager of the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department. “This garden honors lives lost, uplifts those still fighting, and invites every visitor to reflect, connect, and find peace.”

“After concepting the garden with many of our BAYS members in the early 2000s and an 11-year effort to bring it to life, I am filled with joy to finally see the memorial is here,” said Nola Agha, BAYS Breast Cancer Memorial Project Co-Lead and Volunteer. “We’ve lost so many good friends and members along the way, and having a physical space we can tend to for healing and remembrance is incredibly meaningful.”

The approximately $800,000 memorial was fully funded through donations raised by BAYS. Construction began in November 2024, with acclaimed landscape and architecture firm InsideOut leading the project.

“The Memorial Garden reminds us that our fight against breast cancer is far from over. Many of the lives we honor through the memorial have been my own patients,” said Dr. Hope Rugo, Director of Women’s Cancers Program and Division Chief of Breast Medical Oncology at City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center. “It is also a very serene and special space that can offer comfort to those undergoing treatment, as well as the people and healthcare workers who care for them.”

Taking inspiration from the AIDS Memorial Grove, which opened in Golden Gate Park in 1991, the BAYS Memorial Garden is not only the nation’s first permanent breast cancer memorial but also the first new memorial in the park in over three decades.