San Francisco, CA--- More than 2,300 participants in this weekend’s Avon Walk for Breast Cancer San Francisco raised more than $5.4 million for access to care and finding a cure for breast cancer. At today’s

closing ceremony at Speedway Meadow in Golden Gate Park, the Avon Foundation announced eight initial grants that were immediately awarded to local organizations thanks to the women and men who walked up to 39.3-miles over Saturday and Sunday.

During the Avon Walk San Francisco, walkers had a choice of walking a marathon (26.2 miles) or a marathon and a half (39.3 miles) over the weekend. The event kicked off Saturday, July 8, with an early morning opening ceremony at Speedway Meadow in Golden Gate Park and an immediate reminder of the impact of breast cancer from San Anselmo resident Martha Elder Domont, who lost a sister to breast cancer in 2000 and was diagnosed with breast cancer herself just last year. Despite undergoing chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, radiation and having her thyroid removed since her diagnosis, Domont participated in the Avon Walk Chicago this past June as well as this weekend’s Avon Walk San Francisco. A mother of six, Domont stated that she is walking in honor of the women before her who made her remission possible.

“My recovery is due to thousands of people just like you who have made the commitment to do everything in their power to make sure that I – and so many others like me – can survive,” Domont told the assembled walk participants. “Because of what we’ll all do this weekend, one day we will walk in celebration that every breast cancer diagnosis becomes a story of survival.”

Following the inspiring opening, walkers began their journey, supported by a volunteer crew every step of the way. After completing the first day of walking, participants spent Saturday night in two-person tents in the Avon Walk “Wellness Village” at Crissy Field along the San Francisco Bay, complete with hot showers, prepared meals, entertainment, and comprehensive medical services. On Sunday, July 9, walkers completed another 13.1 miles, concluding with the celebratory closing ceremony back at Speedway Meadow in Golden Gate Park.

To participate in the Avon Walk San Francisco, each walker raised a minimum of $1,800 in donations, which will be managed and disbursed by the Avon Foundation [a 501(c)(3) public charity]. Funds raised by participants of the Avon Walks are 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 San Francisco and registration is open for 2006 and 2007 Avon Walk events at 800-510-WALK or www.avonwalk.org.

ABOUT THE NEW GRANTS
The grants awarded at the close of the Avon Walk include the following:

San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH) received $1,000,000 to continue support for the Avon Comprehensive Breast Cancer Center. Funds will help the hospital provide mobile mammography throughout San Francisco; support patient navigation staff; provide genetic screening to uninsured women, a first-of-its-kind in the country; conduct research studies; and enable the women treated at SFGH to access the latest breast cancer treatments and clinical trials. To date, the University of California San Francisco Comprehensive Cancer Center and the San Francisco General Hospital partnership has received over $14 million from the Avon Foundation.

Valley Medical Center (San Jose) received $250,000 towards the purchase of new equipment for its breast center, enabling it to provide the latest medical treatments to underserved women in Santa Clara County.

San Mateo Medical Center (San Mateo) received $250,000 to support a patient navigator and purchase new equipment for its breast center, including implementation of a new electronic medical records system with unique software for guiding women through timely breast cancer treatments.

The Charlotte Maxwell Complementary Clinic (Oakland) received $250,000 to provide free alternative and complementary medical approaches to treating breast cancer to uninsured women at its clinics in Oakland and San Francisco.

Contra Costa Health Services (Martinez) received $250,000 to support patient navigation staff to reach out into the community and assist uninsured women with breast cancer screening and treatment at Contra Costa Regional Medical Center and other community clinics.

Project Open Hand (San Francisco) received $200,000 to continue to prepare and deliver meals to hundreds of women fighting breast cancer and their families. This is one of four nutritional support programs funded by the Avon Foundation nationwide.

The Regional Cancer Foundation (San Francisco) received $180,000 to formalize a free second-opinion program helping uninsured and underserved women obtain second opinions about their breast cancer treatment options.

Zero Breast Cancer (San Rafael) received $150,000 to fund staff to continue its community based research and enhance its partnerships with UCSF and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

ABOUT THE AVON FOUNDATION
The Avon Foundation, an accredited 501(c)(3) public charity, was founded in 1955 to improve the lives of women and their families. The Avon Breast Cancer Crusade launched in 1992, and Avon has supported breast cancer programs in some 50 countries. While advances have been made, breast cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women worldwide, and in the U.S. there is a new diagnosis every three minutes. Through 2005, the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade raised and awarded more than $400,000,000 worldwide for access to care and finding a cure for breast cancer, with a focus on the medically underserved. Funding supports five areas: awareness and education; screening and diagnosis; access to treatment; support services; and scientific research. Beneficiaries range from leading cancer centers to community-based non-profit breast health programs, creating a powerful international network of research, medical, social service and community-based organizations focused on defeating breast cancer and ensuring access to care. For more information, visit www.avonfoundation.org.

The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer San Francisco is the fifth of eight noncompetitive events for women and men of all fitness levels held throughout the US. Avon Walk cities and dates include: Washington, DC, April 29-30; Boston, MA, May 20-21; Chicago, IL, June 3-4; Denver, CO, June 24-25; San Francisco, CA, July 8-9; Los Angeles, CA, September 16-17; New York, NY, October 7-8; and Charlotte, NC, October 21-22.

The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer is generously supported by National Sponsor Prevention magazine; Official Sponsors www.ribbonofpink.com, a program of Novartis Oncology, Airplus for Her, and Reebok; Official Water FIJI; and Associate Sponsor Multiply.com.