Proceeds from Saks Fifth Avenue Charitable Initiative
to Benefit Living Beyond Breast Cancer and the Abramson
Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania
(Philadelphia,
PA) -- Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer
deaths in women, second only to lung cancer. According
to the American Cancer Society, approximately 192,200
women in the United States were found to have invasive
breast cancer in 2001, and about 39,600 women will die
from the disease this year alone. Although the breast
cancer death rate declined significantly from 1992 to
1996 - the battle is far from over.
In recognition of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month,
and to raise funds for breast cancer organizations across
the country, Saks Fifth Avenue in Bala Cynwyd is hosting
the fourth annual
charity shopping event on September 18-22. Two
percent of all sales from this event will be contributed
to the breast cancer programs at the Abramson Cancer
Center of the University of Pennsylvania and Living
Beyond Breast Cancer, a Philadelphia-area education
and support organization for women affected by breast
cancer.
Fashion Targets Breast Cancer (FTBC) is the United States
fashion industry's worldwide response to the devastating
impact of breast cancer. Launched in 1994, the national
campaign was chaired and guided by designer Ralph Lauren
and supported by the nation's leading retailers, fashion
publications, media, professional models, and members
of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA).
The success of Fashion Targets Breast Cancer in the
United States has inspired partnerships between the
CFDA and leading breast cancer organizations all around
the world.
The Fashion Targets Breast Cancer initiative entered
a new chapter in the United States in 1999 when Saks
Fifth Avenue and the CFDA partnered to kick off National
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
and raise money in the fight against breast cancer.
The shopping event is one of Saks' largest fundraisers,
raising over $6 million thus far.
For the fourth consecutive year, Saks Fifth Avenue will
host this charity-driven shopping event September 18-21
in all of Saks Fifth Avenue's 61 stores across the country,
as well as in the OFF 5th outlet stores and on-line
at http://www.saks.com.
The kick-off reception at the Saks Fifth Avenue Store
in Bala Cynwyd on Wednesday, September 18, is open to
the public and will include a raffle, silent auction,
t-shirts, informational materials, and food and beverages.
All attendees will receive an electronic gift card,
worth $25 toward any purchase of $100 or more. In addition
to the opening reception, there will be events for the
shopping public throughout the weekend at the Bala Cynwyd
Saks, including a wine tasting on Friday, September
20 and fashion shows on Saturday, September 21.
Honorary chair of the event is fashion designer Rena
Rowan Damone. Known internationally for her professional
life and legendary impact on the women's fashion industry
as the former Executive Vice President of the Jones
Apparel Group, Rowan Damone's numerous philanthropic
activities have positively affected many women in the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Rowan Damone's own personal
experience with breast cancer inspired the establishment
of the Rena Rowan Breast Center at the Abramson Cancer
Center of the University of Pennsylvania. Her dedicated
leadership, generosity and pioneering spirit have improved
breast care for thousands of women.
About Living Beyond Breast Cancer
Living Beyond Breast Cancer is dedicated to empowering
all women affected by breast cancer to live as long
as possible with the best quality of life. LBBC was
founded in 1991 by Marisa C. Weiss, MD, a radiation
oncologist, to help women find information on how to
live well after completing breast cancer treatment.
Today LBBC's national and regional programs have expanded
to address the physical, social, emotional, legal and
financial issues women face at diagnosis, during treatment
and beyond. LBBC's programs include large-scale conferences;
teleconferences; the toll-free Survivors' Helpline (888-753-5222);
a website, www.lbbc.org; a quarterly newsletter; Project
Connect, a community outreach program; the Young Survivors
Network, an educational program for women diagnosed
with breast cancer before age 45; and workshops for
health care providers. For more information call 610-645-4567
or go to LBBC's web site, http://www.lbbc.org.
About the Abramson Cancer Center at the University
of Pennsylvania
Throughout its history, the Abramson Cancer Center has
been continuously recognized regionally and nationally
for its contributions to patient care, research, professional
education, and patient and community outreach. The Cancer
Center is one of only 37 Comprehensive Cancer Centers
approved and designated by the National Cancer Institute.
It was among the first cancer centers to receive this
prestigious designation, and has maintained this status
continuously for twenty years. For more information
about specific types of cancer, research advances, cancer
treatment, survivorship and clinical trials, visit the
Abramson Cancer Center's resource on OncoLink at http://www.oncolink.com.
About the Rena Rowan Breast Center at the Abramson
Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania
Through the support and vision of Rena Rowan Damone,
the Rowan Breast Center has changed the paradigm of
breast care for women throughout Philadelphia and the
region, including the organization and delivery of breast
cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, recovery and
psychosocial support services. This dedicated facility
brings together the nation's most talented breast cancer
experts including physicians, research scientists, nurses
and other health professionals distinguished for their
clinical knowledge, their patient care style and their
commitment to an interdisciplinary care approach. In
addition, the Rowan Center has enabled these health
care professionals to practice truly comprehensive care,
before and after treatment, with a deep recognition
that medical services are only part of what breast cancer
patients need. For more information visit the center's
website at http://www.oncolink.upenn.edu/rowan/
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