University of Pennslyvania Health Systems
Office of Public Affairs
399 South 34th Street, Suite 2002, Penn Tower, Philadelphia, PA 19104-5653

Contact:
David March, (215) 615-3353, david.march@uphs.upenn.edu

September 10, 2003

Nationally Televised Event Benefits Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania

QVC Presents "FFANY Shoes on Sale" on Wednesday, Oct. 15, from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm ET

(Philadelphia, PA) - Across the state of Pennsylvania and the nation, women and men can put their shopping power to good use as QVC and the Fashion Footwear Association of New York (FFANY) team up on Wednesday, October 15, for a nationally televised shoe sale to support breast cancer research and education. The Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania is one of seven organizations benefiting from this year's proceeds. More than 100,000 pairs of shoes - 20,000 pairs of which will be donated by the Nine West Group - will be available at half the suggested retail value. The three-hour television special, called "FFANY Shoes on Sale," airs in Philadelphia from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Check your local listings for the QVC channel in your area. Over the past nine years, the event has raised more than $13 million nationwide for breast cancer research and education, from the sale of over 850,000 pairs of shoes.

For those who may miss the big event, QVC will also feature "Shoe of the Day" segments every weekday, from 7:00 am to 9:00 am ET, beginning on October 1, and continuing throughout the month during "The QVC Morning Show." Shoes can be purchased by calling 1 (800) 345-1515 or through the QVC website at www.qvc.com.

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PENN Medicine is a $2.2 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 (created in 1993 as the nation's first integrated academic 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.

Penn Health System consists of four hospitals (including its flagship Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, consistently rated one of the nation's "Honor Roll" hospitals by U.S. News & World Report), a faculty practice plan, a primary-care provider network, three multispecialty satellite facilities, and home health care and hospice.

Release available online at http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/news/News_Releases/sept03/ffany.htm