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Sunriver Resort Dons Denim for a Cause

October 6 won't be any ordinary casual Friday at Sunriver Resort. The denim worn on this day will not only be worn for comfort, but it will also make a powerful statement for an important cause. As Lee National Denim Day moves into its second decade, Sunriver Resort is gearing up for its 5th year of participation in this grassroots program which has raised more than $61 million for breast cancer research. 

Participants are encouraged to wear denim in exchange for a $5 donation to the Women's Cancer Programs of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF). Funds will be used to support a groundbreaking scientific project to detect breast cancer in its earliest stage. They will also help accelerate treatment research and increase patient access to some of the most significant clinical trials in the nation, as well as support grassroots programs across the country.

"Lee National Denim Day is extremely important to our employees, as many of them have been personally touched by this disease," said Tom Luersen, managing director. "We tremendously enjoy participating because it empowers everyone to make a difference in the fight against breast cancer; it's a great educational program within our resort."

Sunriver Resort will add a twist to Lee National Denim Day by hosting a balloon release at 12:00 p.m. October 6th, on the back patrio of the Merchant Trader Cafe at the Sunriver Lodge. This event is open to the community residents and Sunriver businesses. Participants will be encouraged to share their stories and to remember loved ones and friends who have and are battling this disease. An honor board will also be on display at Sunriver Resort with the names of loved ones to be remembered.

"The enthusiastic support we get from companies, organizations and schools every year is overwhelming," said Liz Cahill, director of advertising and public relations for Lee Jeans. "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 who participate that make this program a success."

The Entertainment Industry Foundation, a leading charitable organization of the entertainment industry, has distributed hundreds of millions of dollars to support charitable initiative addressing critical health, education and social issues.

EIF is committed to saving lives by raising awareness about the importance of early detection of breast and reproductive cancers, providing funds to advance early detection and treatment research, and supporting to community programs that assist the millions of women and their families at risk of or affect by cancer.

Through EIF's National Women's Cancer Research Alliance and EIF's Revlon Run/Walk For Women, EIF funds some of the most promising reserach being conducted today to develop new and more effective approaches to the treatment of women's cancers. EIF grants have also supported other state-of-the-art therapies bringing new and innovative treatment approaches to breast cancer worldwide.

More recently, EIF launched its Women's Cancer Research Fun. Focused on early detection of cancer, the initiative is supporting EIF's Breast Cancer Biomarket Discovery Project - an ambitious, groundbreaking scientific project where a group of internationally recognized scientists and clinicians from some of the best scientific institutions in the world are collaborating to develop a blood test that will detect breast cancer in its beginning stages, when survival rates are highest.

For questions about EIF's women's cancer programs and information about breast cancer, visit eifoundation.org or call 800-426-0010.