The new AT&T today made a $245,000 donation to PADRES Contra El Cancer to help fund the organizations programs that provide support to Latino families battling childhood cancer. PADRES Contra El Cancer (PADRES), a non-profit organization committed to improving the quality of life for Latino children with cancer and their families, along with its national spokeswoman, Eva Longoria of ABC's hit television series "Desperate Housewives," accepted the donation.
"Thank you Cingular Wireless, now the new AT&T," said Longoria. "Your tremendous efforts will help us serve more families in the Los Angeles area who cope with the devastating effects of childhood cancer on a daily basis." Longoria added "this campaign is a perfect example of how a corporation like the new AT&T can creatively support organizations that provide critical services to the young and innocent."
The donation is the result of a six-week sales promotion by the new AT&T to increase awareness of childhood cancer and collect donations from its customers at retail stores throughout the Greater Los Angeles region. Cancer strikes approximately 1,500 children in California annually and nearly 50 percent of them are Latino. Cancer remains the leading cause of death among children under 15 years old, second only to accidents in most age groups.
"Our Esperanza campaign demonstrates that a corporation can work with its customers at the grassroots level for the benefit of the entire community," said Mauro Martinez, AT&T Director of Diversity Sales in the Los Angeles market. "We collected $245,000 in our stores and conducted a record-breaking bone-marrow drive in conjunction with PADRES. We are extremely pleased with the results and are proud to be a part of this noble community-wide effort. We look forward to continuing our support for PADRES and the families it serves."
In December, the bone marrow drive at the AT&T Huntington Park store garnered more than 200 potential donors from the Latino community - a number that set a national record for a one-day drive. Although most children who require blood transfusions at Children's Hospital Los Angeles are Latino, only five percent of donors are Hispanic. Chances of a young cancer patient finding a donor match within the Latino community are significantly higher than from the general population.
"Our family has been challenged by childhood cancer for many years and we know first hand the importance of an organization like PADRES," said Celina Barham, PADRES parent and supporter. "We thank the new AT&T and the Latino community for their contributions and support. All of the PADRES families and children hope more families become better informed about childhood cancer and how they can help" - The New AT&T.
Posted February 7th, 2007 by Nymphadora
