Small Change Equals Big Impact: Safeway Customers Round Up $1 Million for Local Breast Cancer Research
Sept. 30, 2008
WHAT: What can you do with the loose change rattling around in your pockets? You could pick up a newspaper – you could plug a parking meter – or you could help to cure cancer. During October, Safeway shoppers will have the opportunity to “round up” in support of local breast cancer research. The Safeway Breast Cancer Research Laboratory, in the Robert W. Franz Cancer Research Center in the Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, is nearly complete. Hear from a patient, physicians, researchers and Safeway about this important opportunity.
WHEN: 9:30 a.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2008
WHERE: Providence Cancer Center research labs
Providence Portland Medical Center
4805 N.E. Glisan Street (enter on 47th Ave.)
Portland
Two Safeway stores are available for media to visit following the event as shoppers round up their purchases:
1100 NE Broadway
Portland, OR 97232
Manager: Rick Torres
4320 SE King Rd.
Milwaukie, OR 97222
Manager: Gail Miller-Hildebrand
DETAILS: October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Safeway stores across the U.S. have a seven-year track record of raising more than $40 million for breast cancer screening and research when their customers round up their purchases.
Join Steve Frisby, Safeway Portland division president, in a research lab along with researchers and physicians, including Walter Urba, M.D., Providence Cancer Center director of research, Alison Conlin, M.D., clinician and breast cancer researcher, and metastatic breast cancer survivor Fern Carness. “Many of the medications I’ve used to help me fight this cancer were in clinical trials not that long ago,” says Carness. “Research will continue to bring new medications to women with cancer.”
Safeway has pledged to keep shopper donations in the community by supporting breast cancer research through Providence Cancer Center and local organizations working with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, among others. Last year, Safeway pledged $1 million toward Providence Cancer Center to fund the Safeway Breast Cancer Research Lab. To date, $550,000 has been donated toward the goal.
In 2007, shoppers in 116 Oregon and SW Washington Safeway stores rounded-up $1.1 million for breast cancer research. In addition to the research laboratory, the Safeway Foundation also provided $125,000 grant to launch a regional breast health registry cosponsored by Providence’s Ruth J. Spear Breast Center and Providence St. Vincent Medical Center’s Women’s and Children’s Health Research Center.
