(New York, NY, March 2007) -- The Avon Foundation announced two new international breast cancer initiatives totaling more than $7.25 million in conjunction with the Avon Global Summit for a Better Tomorrow held at the United Nations in New York City to mark the eve of International Women’s Day. These new programs aim to improve access to early detection for women around the world and to prevent disease metastasis and recurrence in women with breast cancer.

The Avon Foundation will award $2.25 million to establish the International Breast Cancer Research Center and Metastatic Tumor Bank headquartered at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston. Led by Dr. Paul Goss, M.D., Ph.D. of MGH, the new program will foster collaboration among scientists around the globe to establish a unique, first-of-its kind metastatic tumor bank. Scientists will collect and analyze breast tumors that have spread to other parts of the body, and aim to develop new way to prevent the spread of breast cancer and its recurrence following initial treatment. Five medical centers in North America, Brazil, and Russia have already signed on as founding partners in this international initiative.

“I was honored to be with Avon and the Avon Foundation in New York to recognize International Women’s Day and add a new dimension to our shared commitment to women and breast cancer research,” said Dr. Goss. “The International Breast Cancer Research Center and Metastatic Tumor Bank is the latest of example of the Avon Foundation funding programs that will help women throughout the world and advance research in breast cancer globally. The support will enable researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital to formalize partnerships with medical scientists around the world, and this network of scientists will conduct trials on new treatments for breast cancer and develop new ways to prevent the spread of breast tumors to other parts of the body .”

The second program is a $5 million Breast Cancer Prevention Research Initiative, formally calling on scientists throughout the world to submit proposals aimed at developing novel techniques to detect breast cancer. The Avon Foundation seeks to fund projects that will apply the knowledge gained from recent research into the genetics and biomarkers of breast cancer to develop a novel diagnostic test to detect the earliest changes in a breast that are precursors to breast cancer. The new diagnostic test should be able to detect changes that are unable to be detected by mammography, and should also be non-invasive, inexpensive, and intended for utilization by women throughout the world who do not have access to mammography or other screening modalities, therefore helping break barriers to early detection. The Request for Proposal will be on www.avonfoundation.org in early April.

“These new programs announced by the Avon Foundation are wonderful examples of our Foundation’s continuing commitment to address the needs of women facing breast cancer and the researchers seeking the prevention and cure,” said Andrea Jung, Chairman and CEO, Avon Products, Inc. “I am proud that the highest priority of the Avon Foundation is to be responsive to the worldwide breast cancer community and the support of innovative programs to quickly meet shifting needs.”

More information about these programs and the Avon Foundation funding guidelines can be found at www.avonfoundation.org.

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. Now past the half century milestone, the Avon Foundation brings this mission to life through two key areas of focus: breast cancer and domestic violence. The Avon Breast Cancer Crusade, launched in 1992, has raised and awarded more than $450,000,000 in 50 countries worldwide for advancing 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. For more information or free printable literature visit www.avonfoundation.org.