FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 30, 2008

The Paint Box Project's 19th annual collection now available online, in retail locations

(BUFFALO, NY) This holiday season, a group of young cancer patients and their families are demonstrating the healing power of art through the 2008 Holiday Card & Gift Collection from The Paint Box Project® at Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

The children and families involved in The Paint Box Project create drawings at art parties held throughout the year. These artworks are then transformed into holiday and all-occasion cards and gifts sold locally and across the country to help save lives through funds raised for promising cancer research at Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

"This initiative has raised more than $6.8 million since its start and these dollars make an enormous impact on our work," said Candace Johnson, PhD, Deputy Director, Chair of the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics and the Robert, Anne and Lew Wallace Chair for Translational Research at Roswell Park. She explained that each purchase from The Paint Box Project helps provide start-up funds for innovative new research, as well as flexible funding for programs to improve the quality of life for patients (e.g. patient education, transportation, lodging and psychological support).

Patient-artist Karisa Burbee, 10 years old, knows firsthand the need for such support. Diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2006, Karisa completed her treatment this past April. This extremely creative young girl was drawn to The Paint Box Project, and it didn't take long before her artwork started to appear on holiday cards and merchandise. This year, Karisa's artwork is featured on the holiday card titled "Lake Effect Buffalo" and on the 2008 Collectible Series Buffalo Ornament.

"It's such a great feeling for the kids to see their work. It really becomes a positive thing for them," said Melissa Miller, Karisa's mother. "Plus, The Paint Box Project has art parties in these fabulous architectural wonders in Buffalo, like the Darwin Martin House. These parties give the kids, and their parents, the opportunity to get out and see something new in the midst of difficult times."

This year's collection features 20 new holiday card designs and several returning past favorites. In addition to holiday cards, the collection includes gifts featuring or inspired by the children's artwork, including handmade jewelry by local artisans, Lands' End tote bags, gourmet Choco-Logo chocolates, a new Faces of Buffalo art mosaic print, ornaments, Light of Hope candles, trivets, aprons, Build-A-Bear "Hope for a Cure" teddy bears, and photo cards (available through The Campos Group's iprintfromhome.com and at Nova Photo).

Great Arrow Graphics (maker of hand-silk-screened cards) has teamed up with artists from The Paint Box Project once again this year to offer 10 exclusive card designs. Roswell Park's Great Arrow cards are featured online and in Barnes & Noble stores across America.

Visit www.PaintBoxProject.com today to shop online, and to easily customize your cards for family or business distribution. Or visit retail sites including Tops and Wegmans stores. Dedicated volunteers from Classifieds Plus, Inc. are also are standing by at 1-800-959-5931 to take orders or to provide gift ideas.

The Paint Box Project is presented by the Roswell Park Alliance Foundation with generous support from lead sponsor Upstate Pharmacy. Card and Gift Sponsors include: Cameron Baird Foundation, Capital Management Services, DreamCatcher Foundation, FIRST Healthcare Products, John W. Danforth Company, Key Private Bank, Time Warner Cable and The Zenger Group. Retail, Business and Media Sponsors include: Buffalo.com, The Buffalo News, Choco-Logo, Classifieds Plus, Inc., Dash's Market, Fashion Outlets of Niagara Falls, Great Arrow Graphics, iprintfromhome.com, Nova Photo, Star 102.5, Tops, WBEN 930-AM, Wegmans, WIVB-TV Channel 4 and WNLO-TV Channel 23.

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