March on 9/11 Supports Leukemia Patient, RPCI Donor Center

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Annie Deck-Miller, Senior Media Relations Manager
716-845-8593; annie.deck-miller@roswellpark.org

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Guardsmen, Volunteer Firefighters Raise Awareness of Blood Cancers, Need for Blood Donations

WHAT: Guardsmen, volunteer firefighters march in support of colleague with leukemia

Mike Anderson is a specialist with the U.S. Army National Guard Headquarters/ Headquarters Troop, Second 101 Cavalry, and a volunteer firefighter with the Grand Island Fire Company. This spring, Mike was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL), a fast-developing blood cancer that affects about 5,300 U.S. adults each year. To support him and provide a live-saving service to cancer patients, nearly 300 of Mike’s fellow Guardsmen and firefighters are marching from the Masten Avenue Armory to Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI), where dozens of the marchers will themselves be donating blood following the march.

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010, 9:30 am to 10:30 am

At approximately 9:40 am, the marchers will arrive at Roswell Park, heading eastward down Carlton Street into Kaminski Park & Gardens; press conference to follow.

WHERE: Kaminski Park & Gardens, Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI)

Elm & Carlton Streets, Buffalo NY (If weather requires, event will be moved inside to RPCI lobby)

INTERVIEWS:

  • Donald L. Trump, MD, FACP, President & CEO, RPCI
  • Maria Turner, Donor Recruitment Manager, RPCI Donor Center
  • Captain Matthew G.F. Ryan, U.S. Army National Guard
  • Tammy Gorman, President, Grand Island Fire Company
  • Guardsmen and volunteer firefighters who will be donating blood or platelets in the RPCI Donor Center

FOOTAGE: RPCI may have photo and video footage of this event to share with media outlets. If you are interested in accessing these images and/or footage, please send an email request to annie.deck-miller@roswellpark.org or alicia.becker@roswellpark.org, noting your deadlines and format requirements.

For more information: http://www.roswellpark.org/donorcenterand http://www.mikesbiggestbattle.org

The mission of Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) is to understand, prevent and cure cancer. RPCI, founded in 1898, was one of the first cancer centers in the country to be named a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and remains the only facility with this designation in Upstate New

York. The Institute is a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation’s leading cancer centers; maintains affiliate sites; and is a partner in national and international collaborative programs. For more information, visit RPCI’s website at http://www.roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or email askrpci@roswellpark.org.