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(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080912/LAF044)
The eight co-branded planes are part of the recently expanded partnershipbetween American Airlines and Komen. It is significant that there are eightplanes, as one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in theirlifetime. American Airlines became Komen's official airline, first-everLifetime Promise Partner and premier contributor of Komen's new category ofgrants -- Promise Grants.
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Building on its 20-year history of supporting the Komen organization,American Airlines has pledged to raise a minimum of $1 million annually foreight years, to fund Susan G. Komen for the Cure's first Promise Grant -- a$7.5 million, five-year study of inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) at TheUniversity of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. The remainder will be usedto fund health and community programs.
"The people of American Airlines and American Eagle are proud to activelysupport the far-reaching efforts of Susan G. Komen for the Cure to end breastcancer forever," said Bella Goren, American's Senior Vice President - CustomerRelationship Marketing & Reservations. "The eight aircraft carrying the Komenstreaming pink ribbons are a tremendous inspiration and a creative way toshowcase the outstanding work the world's largest breast cancer organizationdoes around the globe."
Despite notable progress made in the last quarter-century, breast cancercontinues to claim more than 410,000 lives annually around the world. Over thenext 25 years, another 25 million women and men will be diagnosed with breastcancer and another 10 million people will die from the disease.
"Susan G. Komen for the Cure is dedicated to discovering and deliveringthe cures, and finding ways to prevent breast cancer across the globe," saidHala Moddelmog, President and CEO of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. "By carryingour pink ribbons on their planes all over the world, American Airlines ishelping Komen extend its global mission in a very dramatic way."
Hundreds of employees, volunteers, breast cancer survivors and localofficials were present at the unveiling of the pink-ribbon 777 today at theAmerican Airlines Hangar at Alliance Airport in Fort Worth (AFW). Executivesthanked the TWU Local 567 and the AFW maintenance base employees who donatedtheir time to apply the decal to the aircraft, referred to in the industry asa livery. The decal on the 777 weighs 36 pounds -- about the weight of oneextra suitcase -- and adds about $2,200 in annual fuel cost. In total, theeight planes displaying the Komen livery include one 777, one Boeing 757 andsix American Eagle Embraer 145s.
The American Airlines Susan G. Komen for the Cure Promise Grant is fundingresearch at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston toaid in earlier detection of inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), the mostaggressive form of the disease. The program will be conducted through thecenter's Morgan Welch Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Program and Clinic,named in memory of a 24-year-old IBC victim. It is the only such facility inthe world. The American Airlines Susan G. Komen for the Cure Promise Grant isthe largest gift ever for IBC research.
The net proceeds from the annual American Airlines Celebrity Golf andTennis Weekend are the primary source of funding for the Promise Grant.Additional contributions will be raised via American'
