Lee National Denim Day supports Cancer Research Programs

04 Oct '08

4 min read

More than 800,000 people nationwide, are wearing blue jeans in a sea of pink as they celebrate Lee National Denim Day. They've made a symbolic gesture of putting on their favorite jeans and donating $5 to help raise crucial funds for the fight against breast cancer.

Donations, which benefit the Women's Cancer Programs of the Entertainment Industry Foundation, are projected to reach between $4 and $5 million, bringing the 13-year total to nearly $75 million.

Proceeds will fund research focused on less toxic, more effective treatments for breast cancer and a blood test for early detection, in addition to supporting advocacy nationwide.

ABC stars Chandra Wilson (Dr. Miranda Bailey of Grey's Anatomy) and Tim Daly (Dr. Pete Wilder of Private Practice) serve as 2008 Lee National Denim Day ambassadors on behalf of EIF and have rallied the nation to join them.

Both Daly and Wilson have spoken about their personal connections to breast cancer; Daly's close friend is currently battling the disease, and several of Wilson's family members have been affected by cancer.

Lee National Denim Day is one of the nation's largest single-day fundraisers for breast cancer. While companies, organizations and groups of friends and family nationwide were celebrating Denim Day in their own way, a company-wide ceremony was held at Lee Jeans headquarters.

Actor Tim Daly, representatives from the Women's Cancer Programs of EIF, Dr. Funmi Olopade, from Lee Translational Laboratory at University of Chicago, and Fran Visco, president of the National Breast Cancer Coalition (NBCC), spoke about the importance of breast cancer research and honored breast cancer survivors in attendance.

"The Women's Cancer Programs of the Entertainment Industry Foundation was created in an effort to bring together some of the very best scientists and institutions in the country to collaborate on groundbreaking research projects," said Lisa Paulsen, president and CEO of the Entertainment Industry Foundation.

"We are so grateful to Lee Jeans for its enormous commitment to this annual fundraiser, and our dedicated volunteer ambassadors Chandra and Tim for giving so much of their time to bring attention to our collective efforts."

Net proceeds from Lee National Denim Day will fund Lee Laboratories nationwide to find more effective, less toxic breast cancer treatments, develop a blood test for earlier detection of breast cancer when survival rates are highest, help NBCC create online and print resources about breast cancer, and train additional advocates to educate patients and their families about new clinical trials.

"Lee National Denim Day is always an inspirational day - it is heartwarming to hear all the stories about people who are participating for loved ones they've lost, people who are currently fighting, or those who join simply because they want to make a difference," said Liz Cahill, director of marketing and communications at Lee Jeans.

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