Kiwi Sisterhood Rallies For Breast Cancer

20 March 2006

Kiwi Sisterhood Rallies For Breast Cancer Research

Thanks to the support of Kiwi women who have dug deep to purchase a Glassons BCRT t-shirt, the Breast Cancer Research Trust has been able to award two vital grants to advance breast cancer research in New Zealand.

Industrial Research Ltd's Senior Scientist, Dr Raymond Simpkin, will receive $250,000 over the next two years to further research into the use of radar scanning for early detection of breast cancer. Currently, mammograms fail to detect 20 percent of breast cancers.

Senior Lecturer at Otago University, Dr Rhonda Rosengren, will receive $133,000 over the next two years to advance research into the use of hormones to control growth of breast cancer cells. The research seeks to identify anti-cancer and anti-growth properties.

In its fourth year, the Glassons BCRT t-shirt campaign is one of New Zealand's most successful cause-related marketing initiatives. To date it has raised over $2m for BCRT and garnered support from A-list celebrities, leading photographers and New Zealander's top fashion designers.

"The campaign has become a real example of sisterhood among Kiwi women," comments Glassons Group Managing Director, Cliff Kinraid. "The ritual of buying a t-shirt to support the cause each year bonds women together in the fight against this deadly disease. With the 2006 campaign beginning to draw to a close it is really important that New Zealand women get in quick to support the cause by buying a tee. "

Mimi Lloyd, Chair of BCRT, says the trust is committed to funding research into an eventual cure for breast cancer. Funds raised from this year's campaign will also go towards facilitating the establishment of a University of Auckland Chair for the development of world-class research into breast cancer in New Zealand.

"This represents BCRT's greatest commitment yet to accelerating breast cancer research in our country," says Mimi Lloyd. "These initiatives will require a higher level of support from the community and are crucial to discovering why New Zealand women have one of the highest rates of breast cancer in the world."

This year's stunning t-shirt designs were created by an A-team of fashion designers including Kate Sylvester, Karen Walker, Trelise Cooper, Huffer, Nom*D and Zambesi, as well as a design from emerging young talent Leila Rawnsley-Mason.

The t-shirts are available through Glassons stores nationwide for only $29.95, $10 of which goes to BCRT's critical research projects.

ENDS

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