Washington D.C., April, 2007—The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer Washington, D.C., which raises funds and awareness for the breast cancer cause, returns to the Greater Metro Area for a fifth year May 5-6. Avon Walks offer participants a choice of walking a marathon or a marathon and a half over a weekend, and funds raised are distributed to local, regional and national breast cancer organizations. To register for or donate to an Avon Walk, visit www.avonwalk.org or call 800-510-WALK.

About the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer
Each Avon Walk attracts women and men from across the city and country. The Avon Walk Washington, D.C., begins Saturday, May 5, with an Opening Ceremony at the Kennedy Center, after which walkers have the choice of walking 13.1 or 26.2 miles – a half or full marathon – throughout the Greater Metro Area. Participants, including walkers and volunteer crew members, will spend the night at the “Wellness Village,” which features two-person sleeping tents, hot showers, prepared meals, entertainment, volunteer massage services and comprehensive support services. On Sunday, May 6, walkers will complete another 13.1 miles, concluding with a celebratory Closing Ceremony back at the Kennedy Center with family and friends. At this ceremony, new funding grants will be announced to local organizations so funds raised are immediately put to work.

Among the thousands of walkers is Woodbridge, VA, resident Donna Young, 60, who will participate in the Avon Walk D.C. just seven months after being diagnosed with breast cancer. She says training and fundraising for the event has given her something to look forward to during her treatment. “After I was diagnosed, I had an initial complete melt down,” Young said, “But then I decided that the future and other women were the places to look toward, and the Avon Walk was a natural place to go.”

Young’s team, “Sister Women,” features participants from Chicago, Maryland, North Virginia and North Carolina who range in age from 34 through 60. Young walks in honor of all of her teammates, of her own survivorship, and for her daughters’ future.

The 2006 Avon Walk Washington D.C. raised $ 5.8 million. Funds raised at Avon Walks are managed and disbursed by the Avon Foundation [a 501(c)(3) public charity] and are awarded to advance access to care and finding a cure for breast cancer, with a focus on the medically underserved. Funds support five areas of the breast cancer cause: awareness and education, screening and diagnosis, access to treatment, support services, and scientific research. From 2003 through 2006, the Avon Walk series included over 55,000 participants and raised more than $150 million. In addition to the Avon Walk series, Avon global philanthropy has supported breast cancer programs in 50 countries.

The complete 2007 Avon Walk for Breast Cancer lineup includes: Washington, D.C. (May 5-6); Boston (May 19-20); Chicago (June 2-3); Denver (June 23-24); San Francisco (July 7-8); Los Angeles (September 15-16); New York City (October 6-7); and Charlotte, NC (October 20-21).

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The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer thanks National Sponsor: Prevention Magazine; Official Sponsors: Airplus for her, Genentech BioOncology, Novartis Oncology and Reebok; and Official Water: FIJI.
Remember: early detection can help save lives. Schedule your mammogram or clinical breast exam today. For more breast cancer information and resources, visit www.cancer.org (keyword breast cancer) or www.avonfoundation.org, where you can access free printable breast cancer informational literature.