FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AVON FOUNDATION BREAST CARE FUND AWARDS GRANT
FOR BREAST CANCER [AWARENESS] PROGRAM TO HERC,
THE BAYVIEW-HUNTERS POINT HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE CENTER (HERC)

Local Organization Recognized With Support From National Program

San Francisco, CA/ February 20, 2008 – The Avon Foundation Breast Care Fund has awarded a $35,000 one-year grant to HERC to increase awareness of the life-saving benefits of early detection of breast cancer. It is the second year that the program has received Avon Foundation funding to support its work on this important health issue, and in recognition of the excellence of the program.

The breast health program (Women’s Health in the Point Project) WHIPP at HERC will educate Bayview-Hunters Point-area women and refer them to low-cost or free mammograms and clinical breast exams in their own community. The vital program will also provide workshops on breast self-examination, benefits of early detection, breast cancer warning signs and risk factors and community outreach.

Since January of 2007, the WHIPP program at HERC has reached more than 450 women with information about the importance of early detection of breast cancer and has referred almost 140 women for mammograms and clinical breast exams.

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women in the U.S., and the leading single cause of death overall in women between the ages of 40 and 55. According to the American Cancer Society, 19,710 new cases of breast cancer will be detected in California this year and 4,165 lives will be lost. Nationwide, there is a new diagnosis every three minutes and a death from breast cancer every fourteen minutes. While advances have been made in prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure, early detection still affords the best opportunity for successful treatment. Programs such as WHIPP help ensure that all women have access to early detection information and options, even poor and medically underserved women.

“We are proud that the Avon Foundation shares our mission and has chosen to support our program. With these funds we will be able to provide breast health education and free mammography services to uninsured underserved women, promoting early detection which increases survival rates,” Says HERC Community Health Worker Rhoda Charles

Since 1993, the Avon Foundation has awarded more than 1,000 grants to community-based breast health programs across the United States, including at WHIPP at HERC name of your organization}. These programs are dedicated to educating underserved women about breast cancer and linking them to early detection screening services.

The Avon Foundation and Breast Cancer Crusade

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 Foundation brings this mission to life through the Speak Out Against Domestic Violence program and the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade, which raises funds and awareness to advance access to care and finding a cure for breast cancer, with a focus on the medically underserved. Since 1992 the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade has raised and awarded more than $525 million worldwide for medical research; access to care; support services; screening and diagnostics; and education and awareness. The largest fundraising program in the U.S. is the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer series.

The Avon Foundation Breast Care Fund

The Avon Foundation Breast Care Fund is administered by Cicatelli Associates Inc. to support community-based, non-profit breast health programs across the country. The Fund's National Advisory Board selected WHIPP at HERC as one of 143 new grant recipients nationwide in the 2008 cycle of Avon Foundation Breast Care Fund grants. These organizations were chosen based on their ability to effectively reach women, particularly minority, low-income, and older women, who are often medically underserved.

For more Information

For more information on WHIPP at HERC, please call Dr. Betty McGee at 415-401-6810 For more information about breast cancer, contact:
The American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345 or www.cancer.org,
or The National Cancer Institute at 1-800-4-CANCER or www.cancer.gov.

To learn more about the Avon Foundation, call 1-866-505-AVON or visit www.avonfoundation.org, where you can also access the free printable Breast Health Resource Guide in English and Spanish.
For information or to register or support the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer events, visit www.avonwalk.org or call 1-888-540-WALK.