Aflac CEO Funds Breast Cancer Symposium in Honor of Company's African-American Female Employees
May 07 2008 - 8:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
Dan and Kathelen Amos Donate $50,000 to Emory Winship Cancer
Institute ATLANTA, May 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Dan and Kathelen Amos
today announced a personal commitment of $50,000 to the Emory
Winship Cancer Institute to host the first scientific symposium in
the southeast focused on triple-negative breast cancer research.
Dan Amos, Aflac chairman and CEO and Kathelen Amos, Aflac
Foundation president, made the personal donation in honor of the
company's African-American female employees who make up nearly 30
percent of the workforce. The symposium will be held on May 16
beginning at 7 a.m. at the Grand Hyatt in Atlanta. "After being
made aware of the disproportionate impact of this disease on young
African American women, Dan and I immediately felt led to become
involved," said Kathelen Amos. "This is highly personal for us, not
solely out of professional regard for the key roles African
American women play in the leadership at Aflac, but also out of a
heightened concern for those we hold dear." The inaugural Jean
Sindab Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Symposium is designed to
update oncologists and other healthcare professionals on the most
current advances in triple-negative breast cancer, a fast-moving
disease that is resistant to new targeted therapies and strikes
African-American women more often than white women. In a recent
population study, Emory researchers found that almost 47 percent of
breast cancers in African-American women under the age of 55 were
triple-negative. "We are immensely grateful for Kathelen and Dan
Amos' support, which allows Emory Winship Cancer Institute to bring
together the nation's top researchers focused on triple-negative
breast cancer," said Brian Leyland- Jones, MD, PhD, Executive
Director of Emory Winship. "Kathelen and Dan Amos are among only a
handful of private philanthropists in the nation who recognize the
need for focused attention on this lesser known form of breast
cancer." The symposium will feature a panel of internationally
recognized experts in triple-negative breast cancer research. There
is no cost to attend. Health care professionals interested in
attending the symposium can register at
http://www.cancer.emory.edu/sindabsymposium . In addition, Emory
Winship and Emory Healthcare will host a Community Town Hall Forum
focused on breast health issues for African-American women on
Thursday, May 15, from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Emory Crawford Long
Hospital. The forum will be an educational opportunity focusing on
the broad topic of breast health issues for African-American women,
with information on triple- negative disease. For more information
or to register for the Community Town Hall, call 404-778-2000. Both
the Jean Sindab Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Symposium and the
Community Town Hall Forum are inspired by the legacy of Jean
Sindab, PhD. Dr. Sindab was an African-American scholar and
activist who lost her battle with breast cancer in 1996 at age 51.
Dr. Sindab's memory is honored at Emory Winship through an endowed
fund, established in 2005 by an anonymous donor. Today, The Sindab
Project is focused on discovering new treatments for triple-
negative breast cancer. About Aflac: For more than 50 years, Aflac
products have given policyholders the opportunity to direct cash
where it is needed most when a life-interrupting medical event
causes financial challenges. Aflac is the number one provider of
guaranteed-renewable insurance in the United States and the number
one insurance company in terms of individual insurance policies in
force in Japan. Its insurance products provide protection to more
than 40 million people worldwide. Aflac has been included in
Fortune magazine's listing of America's Most Admired Companies for
seven years and in Fortune magazine's list of the 100 Best
Companies to Work For in America for ten consecutive years. Aflac
also has been recognized three times by both Fortune magazine's
listing of the Top 50 Employers for Minorities and Working Mother
magazine's listing of the 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers.
Aflac Incorporated is a Fortune 500 company listed on the New York
Stock Exchange under the symbol AFL. To find out more about Aflac,
visit aflac.com (Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20041202/CLTH019LOGO ) Media
Contacts: Mechell Clark Vince Dollard Aflac Incorporated Emory
Winship Cancer Institute (706) 243-8004 404-778-4580
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20041202/CLTH019LOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Aflac Incorporated CONTACT:
Mechell Clark, Aflac Incorporated, +1-706-243-8004, ; or Vince
Dollard, Emory Winship Cancer Institute, +1-404-778-4580, Web site:
http://www.aflac.com/
Copyright