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Pleasanton-based Safeway Inc. launched its annual prostate cancer fundraising and awareness campaign this week, marking the eighth consecutive year that Safeway has been raising awareness and funds for prostate cancer research.
Since the effort began, the company has raised nearly $30 million for prostate cancer research at some of North America’s top cancer centers. The company has teamed up with the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF), the world’s largest philanthropic supporter of prostate cancer research, to distribute the funds. This year’s campaign will focus on early detection and screening as a way to reduce mortality rates.
According to PCF, one in every six men in the U.S. is affected by prostate cancer. This year alone, more than 218,000 men here will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and more than 27,000 men will die from the disease. Through early detection and screenings, prostate cancer has a nearly 90 percent cure rate, which is why this month-long campaign is focused on public education and advancing research to find a cure.
“Prostate cancer survival improves dramatically with screenings and early detection,” said Steve Burd, Safeway’s chairman, president and chief executive officer. “Our companywide public service campaign will extend that core message to a wide audience and save lives in the process.”
Safeway will reach consumers through a series of radio, print and in-store advertisements that will run during June. The company will hold media events to raise awareness, particularly surrounding Father’s Day celebrations, in a number of the company’s store locations throughout North America.
As they have done in years past during the month, Safeway’s U.S. and Canadian stores will provide customers with an opportunity to make donations at the check-out stands when shopping at their local Safeway, Dominick’s, Randall’s/Tom Thumb, Genuardi’s, Vons/Pavilions, Carrs and Pak n’ Save stores. In addition, many stores will conduct their own special fundraising events.
The money raised is donated directly to the PCF, which provides grants to teaching hospitals and cancer centers doing leading-edge research. PCF has made grants in Safeway’s name to comprehensive cancer centers in the company’s operating areas including UC San Francisco, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, the University of British Columbia and Translational Genomics in Phoenix
Last November, a PCF/Safeway funded partnership yielded an ambitious research project that brought together a team of prominent cancer research centers in the country to explore the role of targeted heat in cancer therapy to treat prostate cancer. The STAR Program (for Special Team Amplification of Research) was funded with a $3 million grant from Safeway’s 2007 Prostate Cancer Awareness fundraiser and $3 million from PCF.
“Through the overwhelming support of our employees and customers we are helping fund critical research that will ultimately lead to a cure for prostate cancer,” said Safeway Executive Vice President and Safeway Foundation Chair Larree Renda. “We are helping make a difference and we hope through public awareness that families and friends can encourage loved ones to get their prostate cancer screening.”
Safeway and its philanthropic arm The Safeway Foundation are also among the largest supporters of breast cancer causes, having raised $41 million for breast cancer treatment and research since 2001. In total, Safeway supports a broad range of charitable and community programs and in 2007 donated more than $172 million, the equivalent of 20 percent of its net income, to causes such as education, food banks and programs focused on assisting people with disabilities, according to company executives.
Safeway Inc., which operates 1,740 stores in the U.S. and Canada, had annual sales in 2007 of $42.3 billion. Its headquarters are on Stoneridge Mall Road in Pleasanton.
– Jeb Bing
– Jeb Bing
