(Ephrata, PA) – Pat Halpin-Murphy, president and founder of the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition (PBCC), accepted a $10,000 grant Monday, December 16th on behalf of the PBCC from Inglenook Vineyards. The grant will be used for breast cancer research and education in honor of First Lady Kathy Schweiker, Honorary Chair of the PBCC.

“As the Honorary Chair of the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition, I want to thank Inglenook Vineyards for this wonderful donation,” said First Lady Kathy Schweiker. “With approximately 13,000 Pennsylvanians diagnosed with breast cancer each year, we know that the only way to eliminate breast cancer is to find a cure, and this donation enables the PBCC to offer a grant for researchers who are working towards that goal.”

“We are honored to once again receive this generous donation,” said Halpin-Murphy. “Breast Cancer is not just a women’s issue. It affects everyone. This grant will help continue the fight against breast cancer for the more than 188,000 women and their families living with this disease in Pennsylvania.”

According to David Lippey, Regional Manager of the Northeast Division of Canandaigua Wine Company, which owns Inglenook Vineyards, the $10,000 grant represents a portion of case sales in Pennsylvania during the month of October -- National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

“Inglenook Vineyards is proud and excited to be able to contribute $10,000 to support the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition. Your tireless efforts in research, education and patient & survivor support deserve our deep gratitude,” said David Lippey. “We thank you for yet another year of dedicated work for the women of Pennsylvania and wish the Coalition continued success in your efforts.”

The check presentation took place Monday December 16, in Harrisburg. Jonathan Newman, Chairman of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, also attended.

This is the second year that the Inglenook Vineyards has made a donation to the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition. The grant is used by the PBCC for the Stepping Stone Award for Breast Cancer Researchers.

The Stepping Stone Award is given each year to a past recipient of the PBCC’s Income Tax Check-Off grant. Through their research, the individual must have made significant contributions toward eradicating breast cancer and published research relevant to their check-off grant proposal. The PBCC presents the award at the PBCC’s Scientific Training for Advocate Leaders, held in conjunction with the Keystone Breast Cancer Conference every October in Harrisburg

This year’s recipient was Kent Hunter, PhD, of the National Cancer Institute. Hunter received the Income Tax Check-Off Award in 1999 while at Philadelphia’s Fox Chase Cancer Center.

The Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition, founded in 1993, is a non-profit organization dedicated to ending the breast cancer epidemic through research, education, outreach and advocacy. As the only statewide grassroots organization that speaks to and for breast cancer survivors, the PBCC insured the passage of two crucial pieces of Commonwealth legislation:
- The Breast and Cervical Cancer Research Act, which allows taxpayers to donate all or part of their state income tax refunds to breast and cervical cancer research
- The Breast Cancer Reconstructive Surgery Act, which mandates insurance coverage for post-mastectomy breast reconstruction and prohibits outpatient mastectomies.

The PBCC serves each of the Commonwealth's 67 counties through the Income Tax Check-Off, Mother's Day Mammograms®, the Keystone Breast Cancer Conference, Friends Like Me, and a traveling photo exhibit, "67 Women, 67 Counties: Facing Breast Cancer in Pennsylvania."

For more information about the PBCC visit our website at www.pabreastcancer.org or call 717/738-9567 or toll free 1-800-377-8828.