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Susan G. Komen for the Cure's Streaming Pink Ribbon Flies!
American Airlines, the worlds largest airline, and Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, the worlds largest breast cancer organization, this month rolled out the largest and last of eight aircraft that display the special co-branded pink-ribbon motif. The final aircraft is a Boeing 777 that will carry the Komen for the Cure brand to places such as Europe, Asia, and Latin America, signifying the impact of the organization on the global fight against breast cancer.
The eight co-branded planes are part of the recently expanded partnership between American Airlines and Komen. It is significant that there are eight planes, as one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. American Airlines became Komens official airline, first-ever Lifetime Promise Partner and premier contributor of Komens new category of grants Promise Grants.
Building on its 20-year history of supporting the Komen organization, American Airlines has pledged to raise a minimum of $1 million annually for eight years, to fund Susan G. Komen for the Cures first Promise Grant a $7.5 million, five-year study of inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. The remainder will be used to fund health and community programs.
The people of American Airlines and American Eagle are proud to actively support the far-reaching efforts of Susan G. Komen for the Cure to end breast cancer forever, said Bella Goren, Americans Senior Vice President Customer Relationship Marketing & Reservations. The eight aircraft carrying the Komen streaming pink ribbons are a tremendous inspiration and a creative way to showcase the outstanding work the worlds largest breast cancer organization does around the globe.
Despite notable progress made in the last quarter-century, breast cancer continues to claim more than 410,000 lives annually around the world. Over the next 25 years, another 25 million women and men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and another 10 million people will die from the disease.
Susan G. Komen for the Cure is dedicated to discovering and delivering the cures, and finding ways to prevent breast cancer across the globe, said Hala Moddelmog, President and CEO of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. By carrying our pink ribbons on their planes all over the world, American Airlines is helping Komen extend its global mission in a very dramatic way.
Hundreds of employees, volunteers, breast cancer survivors and local officials were present at the unveiling of the pink-ribbon 777 today at the American Airlines Hangar at Alliance Airport in Fort Worth (AFW). Executives thanked the TWU Local 567 and the AFW maintenance base employees who donated their time to apply the decal to the aircraft, referred to in the industry as a livery. The decal on the 777 weighs 36 poundsabout the weight of one extra suitcaseand adds about $2,200 in annual fuel cost. In total, the eight planes displaying the Komen livery include one 777, one Boeing 757 and six American Eagle Embraer 145s.
American Airlines funds Promise Grant The American Airlines Susan G. Komen for the Cure Promise Grant is funding research at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston to aid in earlier detection of inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), the most aggressive form of the disease. The program will be conducted through the centers Morgan Welch Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Program and Clinic, named in memory of a 24-year-old IBC victim. It is theonly such facility in the world. The American Airlines Susan G. Komen for the Cure Promise Grant is the largest gift ever for IBC research.
Miles for the Cure(TM) campaign The net proceeds from the annual American Airlines Celebrity Golf and Tennis Weekend are the primary source of funding for the Promise Grant. Additional contributions will be raised via Americans Miles for the Cure(TM) program, in which AAdvantage® members earn five miles for each dollar contributed to Komen with a $25 minimum donation. As of Sept. 10, more than 7,000 AAdvantage members have contributed more than $680,000 to the campaign. Donations can be made online at www.aa.com/komen.
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