Continuing the October/November event catch-up, we now have photos from the New York Avon Walk For Breast Cancer that Reese attended last month. Reese walked, talked and posed at the event, and looked casual and comfy in a black Avon t-shirt and black trousers.

I’ve already posted a couple of articles/videos that came from this Walk, but further down this post are a few more. I love hearing/reading Reese talk about her work for Avon, as she’s obviously really passionate about it and it means a lot to her.

• 2011 Breast Cancer Global Congress & Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in New York x22

Reese Witherspoon Joins Thousands of Participants at the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer New York; Awards $9.1 Million in Grants

3,500 Women and Men Participate in the 39.3 Mile Walk

New York, NY, October 16, 2011 – Avon Foundation for Women Honorary Chairman Reese Witherspoon was a special guest at the ninth annual Avon Walk for Breast Cancer New York Closing Ceremony today, where she thanked walkers, crew and supporters for their incredible commitment to the cause. The Avon Walk New York raised more than $8.4 million to advance access to care and finding a cure for breast cancer, which is added to the more than $400 million raised by the Avon Walks since 2003. The Walk attracted 3,500 participants from 42 states, Washington, D.C., and six countries–including Bermuda, Canada, Cayman Islands, Denmark and Switzerland–along with 430 men and 444 breast cancer survivors.

Witherspoon greeted walkers on stage at the Closing Ceremony congratulating them for finishing their weekend-long, 39.3-mile journey: “I’m so happy to be back at the Avon Walk and once again I’m absolutely amazed at what you all just did,” said Witherspoon. “Walking all those miles and raising all that money—you’re all incredible!”

During the Closing Ceremony at Hudson River Park’s Pier 84, Liz Dente, a three-year breast cancer survivor and Team Avon walker from New Rochelle, NY, spoke movingly about her breast cancer diagnosis and journey through treatment: “I’m a planner and breast cancer was certainly not in the master plan of my busy life. But then things changed. One day I was worried about corporate systems analysis, the next I was worried about who could best raise my kids with my husband after I’m gone. Our kids were 6 and 9 years old and we were determined that 2008 was not going to be the year that mommy got breast cancer. It was going to be the year of first grade and fourth grade; the year of no training wheels and diving off the diving board. That thinking—our ‘new normal’—saved all of us, because even while I dealt with all the procedures, surgery, chemo and exhaustion, my number one goal in this battle has been to keep my kids’ lives as carefree as possible. Now, as I stand here before you, exhausted but exhilarated from completing my third Avon Walk New York, my husband and kids are here with me. Because of their love and support and the incredible medical care I’ve been lucky enough to receive, I’m able to raise them myself…as a breast cancer survivor.”

To ensure the funds raised immediately benefit the community, Witherspoon presented more than $9.1 million in grants to 10 New York Tri-State area organizations during the Closing Ceremony. More grants are slated to be awarded throughout the year to breast cancer programs nationwide.

Following are the ten grants the Avon Foundation for Women awarded at the Avon Walk New York Closing Ceremony:
— The Avon Foundation Breast Health Outreach Program received $5,850,000 to continue supporting its more than 120 community-based groups across the country—programs which navigated more than 125,000 people into mammography screening and clinical breast exams in 2011 and reached a half million people with critical education and information.
— CancerCare received $1 million to continue providing direct financial assistance to low-income breast cancer patients, reaching women and men in 85% of all U.S. counties and all 50 states.
— The Avon Foundation Breast Cancer Center at New York Presbyterian-Columbia University Medical Center received $750,000 to continue funding care for thousands of underserved women in its state-of-the art mammography center and support breast cancer research, clinical trials and imaging fellowships. This new grant brings total Avon Foundation support for the Columbia-Presbyterian Avon Breast Center to more than 22 million dollars over the last 11 years.
— New York University Cancer Institute received two grants totaling $680,000 which will be used to support the NYU Cancer Center and Bellevue Collaborative, an extensive patient navigation program at Bellevue Hospital, and the Avon Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Consortium, a program at NYU School of Medicine working to find out what causes Inflammatory Breast Cancer and why it progresses.
— God’s Love We Deliver, which provided meals to Avon Walkers on Sunday, received $175,000 to provide nutrition education and meals to patients and their families.

Five of the grants awarded at Closing Ceremony will strengthen the Avon Safety Net Hospital program, a network of more than 100 hospitals and community clinics across the country supported by the Avon Foundation to ensure that women and men without insurance or resources have access to high quality breast health services. The Safety Net grants include:
— Metropolitan Hospital Center received a grant of $250,000;
— Newark Beth Israel Hospital received a grant of $200,000;
— Albert Einstein College of Medicine received a grant of $125,000;
— Northern Westchester Hospital received a grant of $75,000;
— Long Island Medical Foundation received a grant of $75,000.

These checks represent only a portion of the grants that will be made with Walk donations. The Avon Foundation already presented an additional $430,000 in grants to Niagara University, St. John’s Riverside in Westchester, the Cancer and Careers Program, the Big Bam Foundation, You Can Thrive!, and Mount Sinai Hospital.

About the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer New York
During the Avon Walk New York, which is a noncompetitive event, women and men had a choice of walking a marathon (26.2 miles) or a marathon and a half (39.3 miles) over the weekend. The event kicked off Saturday, October 15, with an early morning Opening Ceremony at Hudson River Park’s Pier 84 in Manhattan. Following the ceremony, walkers began their journey, traveling through the streets and outer boroughs of New York City and concluding at the Avon Walk “Wellness Village” at Randall’s Island. The “Wellness Village” featured two-person pink sleeping tents, hot showers, full hot meals, entertainment, volunteer medical services and comprehensive support services, along with leisure activities such as relaxing yoga to stretch out the muscles and a spa zone with mini-back-and-foot-massages. On Sunday, October 16, walkers completed the walk, ending back at Pier 84, where Reese Witherspoon and thousands of family members and friends greeted them and shared in a celebratory and moving Closing Ceremony, including the awarding of new grants.

To participate in the Avon Walk New York, each walker raised a minimum of $1,800 in donations. The Avon Foundation for Women [a 501(c)(3) public charity] manages the funds raised, which it awards to local, regional and national breast cancer organizations to support five areas of the breast cancer cause, including awareness and education, screening and diagnosis, access to treatment, support services, and scientific research.

Since its launch in 2003, the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer series has raised more than $400 million through the dedication of more than 163,000 participating women and men from across the country, including thousands of Avon employees and Sales Representatives. The Avon Walk New York is the eighth event of the 2011 season, with the last event taking place next weekend in Charlotte, NC (October 22-23). To register for the 2012 Avon Walk season, donate or for additional information, please visit www.avonwalk.org or call 800-541-WALK. For information on the Avon Foundation visit www.avonfoundation.org.

– avonwalk.org

Reese Witherspoon Recognizes Breast Cancer Awareness Month in New York; Announces Avon Global Breast Cancer Scholars Program
Witherspoon also presents $9.1 million in grants to local breast cancer organizations at the Avon Walk New York

Today in New York, Avon Foundation for Women Honorary Chairperson Reese Witherspoon recognized Breast Cancer Awareness Month at the 2011 Global Breast Cancer Congress – where she launched a new Avon Foundation for Women-funded global breast cancer scholarship program – and at the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer – where she presented more than $9.1 million in grants to New York-area breast cancer programs.

At the closing session of the 2011 Breast Cancer Global Congress, Witherspoon announced the Avon Global Breast Cancer Clinical Scholars Program, which will fund scholarships for breast cancer specialists from outside the United States to receive advanced training at leading U.S. breast cancer centers. The Congress, a partnership between the Avon Foundation for Women and the U.S. Department of State, began on October 12 in Washington, DC, and convened nearly 150 participants from 57 countries who are global leaders in breast cancer research, detection, treatment and advocacy to discuss the latest trends in breast cancer incidence and mortality, screening, prevention and treatment.

“Just as you are all here to gain new knowledge about improved methods to fight breast cancer around the world, the Avon Global Breast Cancer Clinical Scholars will have a once in a lifetime global opportunity to share scientific knowledge about treating breast cancer,” Witherspoon told the congressional delegates. “The scholars will learn from the very best doctors in the United States and will return home with advanced skills and new information that will improve both the treatment and care of women facing breast cancer in their countries.”

Beginning in 2012, the Avon Global Scholars program will bring up to 50 outstanding doctors to the United States for an intensive 4-8 week training program and preceptorship at one of 12 Avon Foundation-funded breast cancer centers, including Avon Breast Cancer Centers of Excellence at Columbia University-NY Presbyterian Hospital, Johns Hopkins University, Northwestern University, Emory University and University of California San Francisco – San Francisco General Hospital. Areas of study will include breast cancer surgery, pathology, breast imaging (radiology), medical oncology, clinical trial design and community/public health. Submission of proposals and application forms for the Global Scholars Program will be accepted beginning November 1, 2011 at www.avonfoundation.org.

Following the announcement, Witherspoon walked along the Avon Walk route, ending at Pier 84 where she met with breast cancer survivors who had just completed the 39.3-mile, weekend-long fund-raising event. Then Witherspoon joined 3,500 Avon Walk participants, and thousands of their friends and families, at the event’s closing ceremony.

The Avon Walk New York raised more than $8.4 million to advance access to care and finding a cure for breast cancer, which is added to the more than $422 million raised by the Avon Walks since 2003. The Walk attracted 3,500 participants from 42 states, Washington, D.C., and six countries — including Bermuda, Canada, Cayman Islands, Denmark and Switzerland — along with 430 men and 444 breast cancer survivors. To ensure the funds raised immediately benefit the community, Witherspoon presented more than $9.1 million in grants to ten New York-area breast cancer organizations; more grants are slated to be awarded throughout the year to breast cancer programs nationwide. More details on the Avon Walk New York and a full list of beneficiaries is available at www.avonwalk.org/press.

“I’m absolutely amazed at what you all just did,” Witherspoon told the cheering crowd. “Walking all those miles, raising all that money and sleeping in those cool pink tents! All of you came here this weekend to make sure there are more survivors in our world, and the money you raised and the awareness you spread will help save lives.”

Since its launch in 2003, the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer series has raised more than $422 million through the dedication of 163,000 participating women and men from across the country, including thousands of Avon employees and Sales Representatives. The Avon Walk New York is the eighth event in 2011; the last Avon Walk of the season takes place next weekend in Charlotte, NC (October 22-23). Registration is open for the nine 2012 Avon Walks for Breast Cancer season at www.avonwalk.org.

About the Avon Foundation for Women
The Avon Foundation for Women, the world’s largest corporate-affiliated philanthropy focused on issues that matter most to women, was founded in 1955 to improve the lives of women. Through 2010, Avon global philanthropy has donated more than $800 million in more than 50 countries for causes most important to women. Today, Avon philanthropy focuses its funding on breast cancer research and access to care through the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade, which has donated more than $700 million around the world, and efforts to reduce domestic and gender violence through its Speak Out Against Domestic Violence program. Avon also responds generously to provide support for relief and recovery efforts in times of major natural disasters and emergencies.

SOURCE Avon Foundation for Women

– media.avoncompany.com

Reese Witherspoon climbed into her tracksuit for a worthy cause over the weekend when she attended the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer and the Breast Cancer Global Conference in New York City.

The 35-year old Oscar-winner – an honorary chairperson for the Avon Foundation for Women – was on hand to meet cancer survivors and pose for photos with some of the 3,500 Team Avon volunteers responsible for raising more than $8.4 million during their 39.3 mile charity trek on Sunday (Oct’ 16th).

Reese later took to the podium during the event’s closing ceremony – held at Hudson River Park’s Pier 84 – to announce that grants totaling $9.1 million will be gifted to ten separate cancer charities, including CancerCare, God’s Love We Deliver and the New York University Cancer Institute.

– starlounge.com