Bala Cynwyd, PA – Saks Fifth Avenue in Bala Cynwyd, PA, will host its annual KEY TO THE CURE Charity Shopping Weekend from Thursday, October 27, through Saturday, October 29, 2005. The three-day initiative raises money for breast and gynecological cancers with a series of special events, auctions, t-shirts, raffles, and, of course – shopping. Saks Fifth Avenue will donate five percent of sales from this weekend to breastcancer.org and the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania.

KEY TO THE CURE is a national program founded by Saks Fifth Avenue in partnership with the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) and its Women’s Cancer Research Fund. Partnering with Saks and EIF is Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA). National ambassador for the 2005 campaign is Academy Award-winning actress Hilary Swank.

“Penn’s Abramson Cancer Center is honored to again participate in this year’s KEY TO THE CURE with Saks Fifth Avenue,” said John H. Glick, MD, Director of the Abramson Cancer Center and breast cancer specialist . “This partnership has helped support leading edge research in cancers that affect women, and has provided hope to our patients and their families. We look forward to advancing new prevention, diagnosis and treatment methods as a result of the generous support from Saks Fifth Avenue and the KEY TO THE CURE event.”

Locally, Saks Fifth Avenue, located at Two Bala Plaza in Bala Cynwyd, has planned an exciting weekend filled with parties, auctions, fashion and trunk shows, and more. A kick-off reception, open to the public, will be held at the store on Thursday evening, October 27th, from 6:00 to 9:00 PM.

This “Around the World” Kick-Off Extravaganza will feature fine food and cocktails, along with a live auction and the KEY TO THE COAT – a chance to win a gorgeous $6,000 designer shearling coat from Saks Fifth Avenue.

Visitors to Saks during the KEY TO THE CURE will have the opportunity to make additional donations to the cause by entering the Pick Your Prize raffle, purchasing a limited edition KEY TO THE CURE T-shirt designed by Diane Von Furstenberg, or purchasing one-of-a-kind fashion items created by local design students. On Friday, October 28th, visitors can enjoy complementary events and surprises throughout the store. Saturday features a Breast Cancer Survivors’ Fashion Show and Tea at 2:00 PM.

“Breastcancer.org is thrilled to partner with Saks Fifth Avenue and the Abramson Cancer Center, to make new friends and raise critical funds to support our 24/7 lifeline to the best medical information about breast cancer for people worldwide,” said Marisa Weiss, MD, Founder and Director of breastcancer.org. "Through this KEY TO THE CURE partnership, we can collectively make an even bigger difference in the lives of all individuals concerned with breast cancer.”

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The Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania was established in 1973 as a center of excellence in cancer research, patient care, education and outreach. It is one of a select group of only 39 NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the United States and is one of the top five in National Cancer Institute (NCI) funding. Home to one of the largest clinical and research programs in the world, the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania has 300 active cancer researchers and 300 full-time Penn physicians involved in cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment. For more information about specific types of cancer, cancer treatment, clinical trials, and research advances, visit the Abramson Cancer Center’s resource on www.penncaner.org or OncoLink at www.oncolink.org.

breastcancer.org’s mission is to help women and their loved ones make sense of the complex medical and personal information about breast cancer so they can make the best decisions for their lives. breastcancer.org empowers women to communicate with their doctors and take an active part in their treatment. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, breastcancer.org offers reliable, complete and up-to-date medical information as well as a vibrant online community that includes discussion boards and weekly online chats with leading breast cancer experts. For additional information, please visit www.breastcancer.org.

PENN Medicine is a $2.7 billion enterprise dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and high-quality patient care. PENN Medicine consists of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (founded in 1765 as the nation's first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System.

Penn’s School of Medicine is ranked #2 in the nation for receipt of NIH research funds; and ranked #4 in the nation in U.S. News & World Report’s most recent ranking of top research-oriented medical schools. Supporting 1,400 fulltime faculty and 700 students, the School of Medicine is recognized worldwide for its superior education and training of the next generation of physician-scientists and leaders of academic medicine.

The University of Pennsylvania Health System comprises: its flagship hospital, the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, consistently rated one of the nation’s “Honor Roll” hospitals by U.S. News & World Report; Pennsylvania Hospital, the nation's first hospital; Penn Presbyterian Medical Center; a faculty practice plan; a primary-care provider network; two multispecialty satellite facilities; and home health care and hospice.