by Stephanie Laird

This Friday, COM students, faculty and staff are invited to make the ultimate fashion statement by wearing denim to celebrate Lee National Denim Day. This Friday a $5 donation to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and wearing denim along with a Pink Ribbon Pin shows your support of this annual fundraising event.

This is not just another casual Friday; it is an opportunity for the OU-COM community to rally in support of the fight against breast cancer.

“The enthusiastic support we get from companies, organizations and schools every year is overwhelming,” says Kathy Collins, vice president of marketing communications for Lee. “The $5 you might normally have spent on lunch has an amazing impact when combined with the donations from people nationwide. It is millions of individuals that make this program a success.”

In celebration of Lee National Denim Day’s 10-year anniversary, OU-COM is working to contribute to the $10 million fundraising goal.

“This is the largest single day fundraiser for the fight against breast cancer,” says Janice Smith, Community Service Programs Healthy Adult Project coordinator. “To date more than $52 million has been donated to the Komen Foundation because of Lee National Denim Day.”

The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation will be receiving every last cent that is donated on Lee National Denim Day. This nonprofit organization was established in 1982 by Nancy Brinker to honor the memory of her sister, Susan G. Komen, who died from breast cancer at the age of 36. As a global leader in the fight to terminate this life-threatening disease, the foundation fulfills its mission through support of innovative breast cancer research grants, meritorious awards, educational and scientific conferences and community-based outreach programs around the world.

CSP’s Healthy Adult Project is one of the outreach programs that receives a large grant from the Komen Foundation every year.

“The grant is used to serve the uninsured and underinsured women of this area,” says Smith. “Without the grant we would have a difficult time operating our breast and cervical cancer programs.”

If you are interested in donating $5 and receiving a pink ribbon to wear with your jeans this Friday, Oct. 7, please contact either Billie Jo Reeves at 593-2158, Marty Bayha at 593-2216, Jamie Remy at 593-2530, Beth Maxon at 593-0768, Jill Breeze at 593-2524 or Janice Smith at 593-9127.

Your style will say it all. Help support the fight against breast cancer on Lee National Denim Day.

For more information about breast health or breast cancer, visit the Komen Foundation’s Web site, www.komen.org, or call its national toll-free Breast Care Helpline, (800) 462-9273.