Mayo Clinic and the Donna Hicken Foundation Team Up for the 26.2 with Donna

Friday, June 23, 2006

Media Contact:
Trista Wallace, APR
Dalton Agency
(904) 398-5222
(904) 476-0680 cell
twallace@daltonagency.com

The Inaugural Run of the Nation's Only Marathon Designed to Raise Funds to Fight Breast Cancer will be held in Jacksonville Beach, Fla. February 2008

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Mayo Clinic and The Donna Hicken Foundation announced today the inaugural run of the 26.2 with Donna: The National Marathon to Fight Breast Cancer, benefiting Mayo Clinic and women living with breast cancer. The weekend-long event, which will be held February 15-17, 2008 in Jacksonville Beach, will include a health expo, community celebration event, VIP event, marathon, half marathon and fun-run.

As the only marathon in the country dedicated solely to raising money to fight breast cancer, the race proceeds will go directly to The Donna Hicken Foundation, an entity which funds the critical needs of underserved women with breast cancer. The foundation has pledged to donate the majority of funds raised to Mayo Clinic for research and its Multidisciplinary Breast Clinic, which specializes in the detection and treatment of breast cancer.

"Mayo Clinic is pleased to be a part of the 26.2 with Donna and we're excited about the national awareness and funds this marathon will raise to help us in the fight against breast cancer," said Dr. Edith Perez, professor of medicine with the Mayo Clinic.

Each year approximately 200,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with breast cancer, and the disease causes about 40,000 deaths annually. Mayo Clinic is leading the fight against breast cancer with researchers like Dr. Perez, author of a clinical trial that produced what is arguably the most significant breakthrough in breast cancer in 30 years. The trial resulted in a 52 percent decrease in the recurrence of breast cancer in those participating.

Donna Hicken, for whom the marathon is named, is a two-time breast cancer survivor, an evening news anchor for Gannett Broadcasting's NBC and ABC affiliates in Jacksonville, and author of the book The Good Fight which chronicles her battle and the birth of her Foundation. Donna is an avid marathon runner who completed several of her marathons after her cancer diagnosis.

"When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I set my sights on outrunning the disease. Facing cancer is a lot like running a marathon - a long arduous race that challenges the body, mind and spirit," Hicken said. "With the 26.2 with Donna, we will raise awareness and funds to fight breast cancer and help women living with the disease, but also provide a unique destination marathon in one of the most beautiful places in the country. I want this to become a pilgrimage for people with passion for the cause."

Jeff Galloway, a former Olympian and current running coach and author of numerous training books will serve as the event director and will produce a virtual trainer program that runners can follow to prepare for the 26.2 with Donna. Galloway has more than 50 running clubs around the country and has coached more than 200,000 people to run a marathon through his unique training approach.

"After almost 50 years of running, organizing events and training runners for marathons, I've not seen a cause as powerful as that of fighting and ending breast cancer," Galloway said. "I believe this event will attract more than 5,000 runners in the first year and could easily grow to become one of the largest in the world within 10 years."

Also serving on the event committee is Jim Gilmore, Agency Approval & Development Inc.; Michael Munz, The Dalton Agency; Randy Goodwin, PRI; Elaine Brown, Jacksonville City Council; and Theresa O'Donnell Price, special events director with the City of Jacksonville.

"In the world of running, this marathon is a Super Bowl-level event that will put Jacksonville in the national spotlight again," said Price. "I'm excited to help make this dream a reality."

For the latest information on 26.2 with Donna: The National Marathon to Fight Breast Cancer visit their homepage (opens in new wincow).

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Mayo Clinic is the world's first and largest integrated group practice. The Mayo Clinic Cancer Center is the only multi-site NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center. The Jacksonville, Fla., campus, which opened in 1986, has more than 320 physicians, surgeons and scientists who specialize in more than 40 areas. Patients who need hospitalization are admitted to St. Luke's Hospital. However, construction is underway for a 214-bed hospital on the Mayo Clinic campus. Visit www.mayoclinic.org/news for more news about Mayo Clinic.

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