Press Release
October 15, 2007
Contact: Michele Fisher
732/235-9872
fisherm2@umdnj.edu
Panera Bread® Honors National Breast Cancer
Awareness Month with Pink Ribbon Bagels™
Campaign to Benefit The Cancer Institute of New Jersey
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NEW BRUNSWICK — With more than 6,000 new cases of breast cancer estimated to be diagnosed in New Jersey this year, The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) is hoping that you’ll start your day with a good deed when you pick up your morning coffee, as it will be the recipient of funds raised through the Pink Ribbon Bagel campaign at participating Panera Bread bakery-cafe locations in Northern and Central New Jersey.
CINJ is one of the many breast cancer-related entities nationwide that will receive proceeds from the sale of Panera’s signature Pink Ribbon Bagel – which features cherry chips and real bits of Bing cherries and cranberries and is shaped in the form of a traditional breast cancer awareness ribbon. Twenty-five cents of every Pink Ribbon Bagel sold during the month of October in the 34 Panera Bread locations owned and operated by the Panera Bread franchise entity, Fenwick Group, will come back to CINJ for breast cancer research and patient education programs. Not only will the specialty item be sold in the participating Panera Bread locations in Northern and Central New Jersey, but it also will be featured in all of the company’s more than 1,100 bakery-cafes across the country.
“It takes a community’s help to combat cancer, and Panera Bread serves as a model in being a good neighbor in that regard,” noted Joseph R. Bertino, M.D., interim director and chief scientific officer at CINJ and university professor of medicine and pharmacology at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. “Our patients and their families will benefit greatly from the funds raised during this campaign, and we’re pleased that Panera is dedicated to this cause.”
“Panera Bread is committed to serving the members of the local community, many of whom have had their lives touched by breast cancer,” said Mark Brownstein, chief operating officer of Fenwick Group. “We are honored to support The Cancer Institute of New Jersey in the fight to find a cure for breast cancer.”
“This campaign will have a wide-ranging impact on our patients here at CINJ,” said Paula Hunchar, executive director of the CINJ Foundation. “Financial support keeps promising research moving forward, and research is the only way to unlock the mysteries of breast cancer in an effort to develop more effective treatments and identify new prevention methods. We are extremely grateful to Panera for creating this clever and delicious plan to fight breast cancer.”
The Panera Pink Ribbon Bagel follows the tradition of ‘thinking pink’ during the month of October in the quest to eradicate breast cancer disease. Sue Stees, one of Panera Bread’s first franchisees and a breast cancer survivor, developed the idea for the Pink Ribbon Bagel in 2001 as a way to help support the cause. “This undertaking tickles us pink,” said Stees, a Tulsa resident who currently operates Panera bakery-cafes in Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas.
About The Cancer Institute of New Jersey
The Cancer Institute of New Jersey is the state’s first and only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, and is dedicated to improving the prevention, detection, treatment and care of patients with cancer. CINJ’s physician-scientists engage in translational research, transforming their laboratory discoveries into clinical practice quite literally bringing research to life. The Cancer Institute of New Jersey is a Center of Excellence of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. To support CINJ, please call the Cancer Institute of New Jersey Foundation at 1-888-333-CINJ.
The Cancer Institute of New Jersey Network is comprised of hospitals throughout the state and provides a mechanism to rapidly disseminate important discoveries into the community. Partner Hospitals: Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Atlantic Health (Morristown Memorial Hospital and Overlook Hospital). Affiliate Hospitals: Bayshore Community Hospital, CentraState Healthcare System, Cooper University Hospital*, Jersey Shore University Medical Center, JFK Medical Center, Raritan Bay Medical Center, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at Hamilton (CINJ-Hamilton), Saint Peter’s University Hospital, Somerset Medical Center, Southern Ocean County Hospital, The University Hospital/UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School*, and University Medical Center at Princeton. *Academic Affiliate
About Panera Bread
Panera Bread serves fresh baked, handcrafted artisan breads, sweet and savory baked goods, hand-tossed salads, wholesome soups, and signature sandwiches in a distinctly warm and welcoming environment. Panera Bread is committed to using only the highest quality, fresh ingredients in the food we offer, and making a lasting contribution to the neighborhoods in which our customers and employees live and work through programs like Operation Dough-Nation. Headquartered in Richmond Heights, MO, Panera Bread operates 1,101 bakery-cafes (430 company-owned and 671 franchised) as of March 27, 2007. For more information, visit http://www.panerabread.com/.
