Spectrum Health Reed City Hospital Dons Denim for a Cause

Employees participate in Lee National Denim Day’, one of the largest single-day fundraisers in the fight against breast cancer

Oct.’5, 2007’won’t be any ordinary casual Friday at Spectrum Health Reed City Hospital. The denim worn on this day will not only be worn for comfort, but it will also make a powerful statement for an important cause. As Lee National Denim Day moves into its twelfth year, Spectrum Health is gearing up to participate in their’fourth year of the grassroots program which has raised more than $66 million for breast cancer research.

Participants are encouraged to wear denim in exchange for a $5 donation to the Women’s Cancer Programs of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF). Funds will be used to support a groundbreaking scientific project to detect breast cancer in its earliest stage. They will also help accelerate treatment research and increase patient access to some of the most significant clinical trials in the nation, as well as support grassroots education programs across the country.

“Lee National Denim Day is extremely important to our employees, as many of them have been personally touched by the disease,” said Linda Rubin, chief operating officer. “We enjoy participating tremendously because it empowers everyone to make a difference in the fight against breast cancer, it’s a great educational program within our work walls, and it is so easy for us to implement.”

Lee Jeans announced a new partnership for Lee National Denim Day’, the largest single-day fundraiser supporting for the fight against breast cancer. The women’s cancer programs of the Entertainment Industry Foundation has been named the new beneficiary of Lee National Denim Day’ as the fundraiser enters its second decade.

The beneficiary for the first’ten years of Lee National Denim Day’ was the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The Komen Foundation received more than $61 million in the first decade with the bulk of the dollars going toward education and awareness programs. Last year, people at nearly 30,000 companies and organizations wore denim on Lee National Denim Day’ in exchange for a $5 donation to fight breast cancer.

Net proceeds from Lee National Denim Day’ will support groundbreaking breast cancer early detection and treatment research with application to other women’s cancers, as well as local community breast cancer programs.

Through its women’s cancer programs, the Entertainment Industry Foundation is committed to saving lives by raising awareness about the importance of early detection of breast and reproductive cancers, providing funds to advance treatment research, early detection methods, and supporting community programs that assist the millions of women and their families at risk of or affected by cancer.

EIF has a remarkable track record in raising awareness and funds in the fight against cancer. EIF’s funding strategy is results-driven, bringing together some of the very best scientists and institutions in the country to collaborate in groundbreaking research projects to fast-track better prevention methods and improved therapies for treatment of breast and other women’s cancers. EIF grants have helped accelerate research that has contributed to the development of a breakthrough gene treatment called Herceptin’, the first successful drug that seeks out a particular gene found in one of three cases of the most aggressive form of breast cancer. EIF grants have also supported other state-of-the-art therapies bringing new and innovative treatment approaches to breast cancer worldwide.

For questions about EIF’s women’s cancer programs and information about breast cancer, visit eifoundation.org or call (800) 426-0010.