PORTLAND, OR – July 13, 2003 – At the closing ceremony of the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, held today at 4:00 p.m. at Lincoln High School on SW Salmon Street, the Avon Foundation awarded a $200,000 gift to the Oregon, Department of Human Services Breast and Cervical Cancer Program. The Oregon Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program is a part of the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and funded by a special appropriation from Congress, pursuant to legislation passed in 1992. The gift represents a portion of the funds raised by the walkers of the Avon Walk Portland event, explained Susan Heaney, who made the Avon Foundation gift announcement. Additional gifts from Avon Walk funds will be announced in the future.

The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer Portland was the sixth of eight weekend events taking place through September this year. Several hundred women and men took part in the event, walking 39 miles and serving as crew members to raise funds and awareness for access to care and finding a cure for breast cancer.
 
The Avon Walk Portland began early Saturday morning, July 12 at Lincoln High School on SW Salmon Street. Until dusk, walkers traveled the route towards the Wellness Village at Mary S. Young State Park in West Linn, where participants camped out overnight and enjoyed relaxing and relevant activities, including yoga, massage and entertainment. The Village also provided the essentials to keep participants comfortable, including sleeping tents, hot showers, prepared meals and comprehensive medical services. A section of the Wellness Village also was open to participants’ friends and family and the general public. Today, all walkers completed the final 13.1 miles of the route, returning to their point of origin – Lincoln High School on SW Salmon Street – for the closing ceremony celebration. Throughout the weekend, a dedicated all-volunteer crew cared for the walkers, ensuring their safety and supporting their needs. 

About the Oregon Department of Human Services Breast and Cervical Cancer Program
Since 1995, the program, which is administered by local health departments and federally recognized tribes in collaboration with more than 2,000 health care providers, has served almost 28,000 women. The program and its partners provide community education, screening, diagnostic services and referral to treatment services for women who are low-income and without health insurance. 

The Avon Foundation gift will support clinical breast exam training for physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants who perform screening services in the program, and training of public health and community partners in best practice strategies to recruit women into the screening program who are not currently accessing health services.

Avon Walk for Breast Cancer Portland
“We are delighted to receive this generous gift from the Avon Foundation,” said Patricia Schoonmaker, program manager, Oregon’s breast and cervical cancer program. “This funding will allow us to enhance our ability to reach women without access to these life saving health services and the quality of the statewide screening program through specialized training activities.”

“Since the legislation creating the CDC program was enacted, Avon has partnered with the national program administered through state health departments,” said Kathleen Walas, president, Avon Foundation. “Most recently, the Avon Foundation joined forces with the CDC to fund mobile mammography vans for the program. We are pleased to expand our support and provide medically underserved women throughout Oregon with quality breast cancer care, treatment and support. For as long as there is a need, Avon is committed to funding access to care for all women and finding a cure for breast cancer.”
The Avon Foundation Breast Cancer Crusade provides funding to breast cancer research and care organizations in Oregon and nationwide, including Bree's Breast Health Outreach in Bandon and the YWCA of Salem.

About the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer
The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer is a series of outdoor, non-competitive fundraising events structured for all fitness levels, offering participants a choice of completing a marathon walk (26.2 miles) or a marathon and a half (39.3 miles) over a weekend. Walkers are required to raise a minimum of $1,750 to participate, and are fully supported by an all-volunteer crew. Funds donated to the Avon Walks are managed and disbursed by the Avon Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity. National sponsors include: FIJI Water, health magazine and RYKÄ, footwear for women.

The new Avon Walks build on the 10-year heritage of the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade and the Avon Foundation’s 50 years of supporting women’s health and economic empowerment worldwide. Throughout its decade-long commitment to raising significant funds and awareness for the breast cancer cause, the Avon Crusade has returned an unprecedented $250,000,000 – 100% of its net proceeds – to five areas of the breast cancer cause, including breast cancer awareness, screening and diagnosis, treatment, support services and scientific research. Beneficiaries range from leading cancer centers to community-based non-profit breast health programs in the U.S. and in 50 countries.

2003 Avon Walk for Breast Cancer Event Schedule (in chronological order):

Washington, D.C., April 26-27	San Francisco, CA, June 28-29
Boston, MA, May 3-4	Portland, OR, July 12-13
Cincinnati, OH, May 17-18	Los Angeles, CA, September 6-7
Chicago, IL, June 7-8	New York, NY, September 20-21

To register to walk or crew, or to pledge financial support for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, visit www.avonwalk.org or call 1-877-WALK AVON for more information.