American Cancer Society and AstraZeneca make strides against breast cancer
Monday, 27 August 2007
The American Cancer Society welcomes AstraZeneca of Waltham for its fifth consecutive year as a flagship sponsor of the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk. According to the Society, breast cancer will strike more than 180,000 women and men this year, and claim nearly 41,000 lives. With the chance of developing invasive breast cancer at some time in a woman’s life about 1 in 7, knowledge of early detection measures, treatment options, and risk factors are essential. Corporations across the state are taking steps to heighten breast cancer awareness and advance the pace of progress against the disease by serving as flagship sponsors for the 15th annual event.
“AstraZeneca has made breast cancer a priority not only in their scientific research but also by supporting programs like Making Strides that have a major impact on patients,” according to Donna Iampieri, Director of Boston’s Making Strides for the Society. “We are deeply grateful for the company’s dedication to working alongside the American Cancer Society to make significant progress in saving lives.”
“Patients are at the center of everything we do at AstraZeneca. With a 30-year history of discovering and developing some of the world's leading oncology products, we are proud of our ongoing support for the American Cancer Society and the landmark Making Strides event here in Boston,” said Jeff Hanke, Vice President of AstraZeneca Boston R&D Cancer Discovery. With its U.S. headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, AstraZeneca has its second largest presence in Massachusetts, with a major cancer research facility in Waltham and operations located in Westborough.
The American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, a five-mile, noncompetitive walk, is set to take place on Sunday, October 14, 2007 at the DCR Hatch Memorial Shell on the Charles River Esplanade in Boston. The event is the nation’s oldest and largest one-day walk, raising more than $33 million to fight breast cancer since its inception in 1993. In 2006, nearly 40,000 walkers raised $3.2 million. Making Strides pledges are dedicated to the Society’s life-saving programs of breast cancer research, education, advocacy and patient support.
The Society has invested more in breast cancer research grants over time than any other voluntary public health organization; more than $322 million since 1972. In Massachusetts, there are currently 28 Society funded breast cancer grants totaling more than $12 million.
Flagship sponsors for the 2007 event are AstraZeneca, Aurora Imaging Technology, Inc., BlueCross BlueShield of Massachusetts, H.P. Hood, and WeGotSoccer. Media sponsors are 7 News on 7NBC, CW56 and MAGIC 106.7FM.
For more information on Boston’s Making Strides, call 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org/stridesonline.
The American Cancer Society is dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by saving lives, diminishing suffering and preventing cancer through research, education, advocacy and service. Founded in 1913 and with national headquarters in Atlanta, the Society has 13 regional Divisions and local offices in 3,400 communities, involving millions of volunteers across the United States. For more information anytime, call toll free 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org.
About AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca is a major international healthcare business engaged in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of prescription pharmaceuticals and the supply of healthcare services. It is one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies with healthcare sales of $26.47 billion and leading positions in sales of gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience, respiratory, oncology and infection products. AstraZeneca is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (Global) as well as the FTSE4Good Index. In the United States, AstraZeneca is a $12.44 billion healthcare business with more than 12,000 employees.
For nearly three decades, AstraZeneca has offered drug assistance programs side by side with its medicines, and over the past five years, has provided over $3 billion in savings to more than 1 million patients throughout the US and Puerto Rico. AstraZeneca has been named one of the “100 Best Companies for Working Mothers” by Working Mother magazine and is the only large pharmaceutical company named to FORTUNE magazine’s 2007 list of “100 Best Companies to Work For.” In 2006, for the fifth consecutive year, Science magazine named AstraZeneca a “Top Employer” on its ranking of the world’s most respected biopharmaceutical employers.
For more information about AstraZeneca, please visit: www.astrazeneca-us.com.
Media Contacts:
Kate Langstone, American Cancer Society: 781-314-2660
Carla Burigatto, AstraZeneca: 781-839-4921