Grocer raises more than $1.5 million for TGen through three
years of cancer awareness drives
PHOENIX, Ariz. - Feb. 16, 2010 - Even with unemployment high and
sales down, Safeway Inc. has donated more than $317,000 to fund
breast cancer research at the Translational Genomics Research
Institute (TGen).
Donations raised in October during Breast Cancer Awareness Month
increased the total contributions by Safeway to TGen over the past
three years to more than $1.5 million, said Michael Bassoff,
president of the non-profit TGen Foundation.
"I'm very grateful that Safeway leadership - Safeway management -
is able to make all of this possible. We have so much to thank you
for,'' Bassoff told Dan Valenzuela, President of Safeway's Phoenix
Division, which includes 115 stores across Arizona.
Valenzuela said that even in this challenging economic environment,
Safeway's customers and employees succeeded in providing TGen with
needed funds to find new treatments for breast cancer
patients.
"It's been a challenging year for us. Everybody has hardships that
they see within their own families or among their friends,''
Valenzuela said. "It's great to see all these people at TGen coming
together and working towards a common goal. It's very impressive,
and it's an honor to be a part of it. It's a great partnership,
because TGen is a local organization, here in our own state, and we
can see the benefits of their scientists' hard work."
Because of the economy, Valenzuela said, Safeway is working harder
than ever to help fund the needs of local organizations: "We have
more people than ever before that we are trying to help, especially
in a tough economy. There are a lot of great organizations out
there, and there are a lot of people who need more help than ever
before. You want to help everybody."
Dr. Heather Cunliffe, head of TGen's Breast and Ovarian Cancer
Research Unit, said that, thanks to Safeway, TGen scientists are
making significant progress in three key areas of breast cancer
research:
-- Accelerating an understanding of genetic events that contribute
to, and prevent the onset of, breast cancer.
-- Discovering new cellular mechanics that drive the spread of
breast cancer cells to distant organs, which can be targeted
through novel therapeutic approaches.
-- Conducting high-resolution genomic tests of breast tumor biopsy
material, providing better guidance for oncologists and resulting
in optimized disease management for breast cancer patients.
"We are extremely proud to be partnering with Safeway, which is
enabling these significant accomplishments within a short time
frame. Your contributions are truly astonishing," Cunliffe told
Valenzuela. "Your customers and employees are certainly crusaders
in the war on breast cancer."
*
About TGen
The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is a Phoenix,
Arizona-based non-profit organization dedicated to conducting
groundbreaking research with life changing results. Research at
TGen is focused on helping patients with diseases such as cancer,
neurological disorders and diabetes. TGen is on the cutting edge of
translational research where investigators are able to unravel the
genetic components of common and complex diseases. Working with
collaborators in the scientific and medical communities, TGen
believes it can make a substantial contribution to the efficiency
and effectiveness of the translational process. For more
information, visit: www.tgen.org.
Press Contact:
Steve Yozwiak
TGen Senior Science Writer
602-343-8704
[email protected]
# # #