As we start a new year, it is a sobering fact that 44,000 women and 400 men will die from breast cancer in 2003. Add to that another 186,000 women this year who will be diagnosed with the disease for the first time. In the spirit of supporting research to find an earlier biological test for detecting this disease, 3M ESPE is donating $10,000 to the Friends ... You Can Count On organization.
"Friends ... You Can Count On is the nation's only non-profit organization focused solely on finding an earlier biological test for breast cancer," said Tina Hawkins, executive director, Friends ... You Can Count On. "With the support of companies such as 3M ESPE, we can provide needed funding for researchers' ideas that will one day lead us to a biological detection method readily available to women of all ages everywhere."
3M ESPE's donation will be used to supply seed grants to qualified new research projects based at major centers of higher education. Past grants have helped fund research at Georgetown University, University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA), Wake Forest University School of Medicine and The University of Manitoba.
"3M ESPE decided to donate to the Friends ... You Can Count On organization because so many of our customers in the hygiene and dental community are stalwart supporters of the importance of this issue," said Cindy Hofstad, marketing communications supervisor, 3M ESPE. "With its foundation built on research and development, the Friends organization was an obvious choice since 3M ESPE is definitely an organization that appreciates the costs that go into R&D."
"With this donation, we're showing our support of this organization's mission, and we hope other companies in the dental industry follow our lead in the fight against this terrible disease."
The donation was made possible through a third-quarter promotion by 3M ESPE, in which 10 percent of the sales proceeds of a select 3M ESPE product went to the "Friends" organization.
"3M ESPE thanks all those dental offices that purchased product during this promotion," continued Hofstad. "Without the support of the individual dental offices, this donation would not have been possible. Together we've accomplished something special."
"We are thrilled and very appreciative of the support that 3M ESPE has given Friends ... You Can Count On," said Martha Kaley, founder, Friends ... You Can Count On. "The vision and understanding that this company has demonstrated reflects the recognized importance of research and development in any effort for progress."
