More than $3.3 Million Raised in First-Ever AVON Walk for Breast Cancer Rocky Mountains
Media Contacts:
Randi Friedman, BNC
646-662-2162 (cell)
212-253-4650 (office)
rfriedman@bncpr.com
Susan Arnot Heaney, Avon Foundation
917-209-9518 (cell)
212-282-5668 (office)
susan.heaney@avonfoundation.org
Media Hotline: 310-854-4721
Event information: www.avonwalk.org or call 888-541-WALK
AVON WALK ROCKY MOUNTAINS CONTINUES 2008 EVENT SERIES WITH OVER 1,550 PARTICIPANTS AND GRANTS AWARDED TO THREE LOCAL BREAST CANCER ORGANIZATIONS
Rocky Mountains, CO, June 29, 2008 — The sixth annual Avon Walk for Breast Cancer season continued with the Avon Walk Rocky Mountains this weekend, which raised more than $3.3 million to advance access to care and finding a cure for breast cancer. The Avon Walk Rocky Mountains, which is a new location for the former Avon Walk Denver, was a tremendous success, with over 1,550 participants drawn from 46 states, including 142 breast cancer survivors, who joined together to raise lifesaving funds and awareness for breast cancer.
At the event’s Closing Ceremony at the Breckenridge Resort, Carol Kurzig, Executive Director of the Avon Foundation, announced a total of more than $1.28 million in initial grants awarded to three local breast cancer organizations, ensuring the funds raised immediately benefit the community. More grants are slated to be awarded throughout the year to breast cancer programs nationwide.
“We are thrilled with the success of the first-ever Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in the Rocky Mountains, and are delighted that the participants raised nearly 50% more than last year’s event in Denver,” stated Kurzig. “The support and generosity of the participants and the community for the Avon Walk Rocky Mountains allows us to make substantial new grants that will benefit those facing breast cancer in Colorado and across the country.”
The three initial new grants awarded by the Avon Foundation at the Closing Ceremony include:
• The University of Colorado Foundation on behalf of the CU School of Medicine (Aurora, CO) received a grant of $1,000,000 to support care, outreach and research. This includes patient access to care programs, the Comadre Program and Project Survivorship Outreach to Latinas (Project SOL). In addition, funds support a high risk genetic screening program for the medically underserved and research projects that collectively aim to understand the role of breast stem cells in cancer, improve response to hormonal therapy and develop markers that characterize resistance, and characterize steps in breast cancer metastasis. Dr. Kate Horwitz, Distinguished Professor, University of Colorado School of Medicine, accepted the grant.
• Project Angel Heart (Denver, CO) received a grant for $175,000 to support the purchase of a new facility and the development of dedicated spaces for kitchen staff and volunteers, meeting space and chef’s meeting room. In 2008, Project Angel Heart will provide nutritious home-delivered meals and nutritional counseling for142 clients living with breast cancer and their children. This is part of the multi-city meal delivery program for breast cancer patients supported by the Avon Foundation. The grant was accepted by Executive Director Erin Pulling and Director of Development, Mindy Davidson.
• Denver Health & Hospital Corp (Denver, CO) received a grant of $105,000 to support their mobile mammography program by providing salary support for breast health staff and equipment upgrades to modernize the unit. The mobile program provides breast cancer screenings, diagnostic services and case management to women 40+, with a primary patient population of women who are at or below 250% of the federal poverty level and who are underinsured or uninsured. Judy Naomi, Community Health Services Contract Administrator, accepted the award.
During the Closing Ceremony, walker and breast cancer survivor Sonora Pizzato of Centennial, Colorado was one of several speakers who provided an immediate reminder of the impact of breast cancer as she shared her inspiration for walking.
“As an X-ray technician, I live in the world of films and scans that tell the true story of what’s going on inside a person’s body for a living. Since my own experience with breast cancer, I see more than just shadows and contrasts in those films. I see people’s lives being turned upside down and now it’s my chance to help them. I see how fragile life is, how fast my son is growing and how I really need to live my life with him to its fullest every day.”
About the Avon Walk Rocky Mountains
The Avon Walk Rocky Mountains is the fifth of nine 2008 Avon Walks. Each Walk attracts women and men from the local area and across the country. In past years the event took place in the Denver area, but this year the Avon Walk offered participants, family and supporters a beautiful new location. The Avon Walk Rocky Mountains began Saturday, June 28 with an inspirational Opening Ceremony at Keystone Resort, after which Walkers traveled 13.1 miles (half marathon) to the “Wellness Village,” the overnight camp, at Summit County Middle School. Those extremely fit Walkers looking for an extra challenge walked an extra 13.1 miles on Saturday, catching a bus from the “Wellness Village” to the Breckenridge Resort, and walking the half marathon back to the “Wellness Village.” On Sunday, June 28, all Walkers completed another 13.1 miles together, celebrating their achievement at the Closing Ceremony at Breckenridge resort with family and friends.
To participate in the Avon Walk Rocky Mountains, each walker raised a minimum of $1,800 in donations. Funds raised are managed and disbursed by the Avon Foundation [a 501(c)(3) public charity] and awarded to local, regional and national breast cancer organizations to support five areas of the breast cancer cause, including awareness and education, screening and diagnosis, access to treatment, support services, and scientific research, all with a focus on the medically underserved. Donations are still being accepted for the Avon Walk Rocky Mountains, and registration is still open for women and men to take part in the remaining Walks of 2008: San Francisco, CA (July 12-13); Los Angeles, CA (September 13-14); New York, NY (October 4-5); and Charlotte, NC (October 25-26). Already completed are the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer events in Houston, Washington, DC, Boston and Chicago.
To register, donate or for additional information, please visit www.avonwalk.org or call 800-541-WALK.
The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer thanks National Sponsor: Reebok; Official Sponsors: Genentech BioOncology, Novartis Oncology and Prevention Magazine; and Official Water: FIJI
Remember: early detection can help save lives. Schedule your mammogram or clinical breast exam today. For more breast cancer information and resources, visit www.cancer.org (keyword breast cancer) or www.avonfoundation.org, where you can access free printable breast cancer informational literature
