Young Survival Coalition Honors Grass Roots Affiliates

November 16, 2007

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Young Survival Coalition Honors Grass Roots Affiliates

New York, New York - (November 16, 2007)

Awards for Raising Awareness About Young Women and Breast Cancer

The Young Survival Coalition (YSC), the premier international, nonprofit network of breast cancer survivors and supporters dedicated to the concerns and issues unique to young women and breast cancer, today announced the 2007 Affiliate Leadership Awards. These awards recognize the extraordinary achievements of YSC affiliates in raising awareness about young women and breast cancer in their local communities.

Selected from submissions by YSC Affiliate members, six Chapters and nine Community Volunteer Groups (CVG), the awards were presented at the November 17 Annual Affiliate Leadership Conference.

"It is an honor to award the very special accomplishments of our grass root affiliates with the recognition they deserve for their work in the community on behalf of the YSC. It is through their dedication and commitment to the mission of the organization that we are able to reach so many young women diagnosed with breast cancer and extend our reach so no young women ever feel alone and always have the needed resources to best navigate their breast cancer experience," said Michele Przypyszny, YSC CEO.

These are the 2007 Affiliate Leadership Awards:

Shining Star Award (open to all Affiliates), recognizing an Affiliate whose "success story" shined through from the others. All types of affiliates activities were included for the award. This year there was a tie between two of the affiliates: Duluth CVG and Kansas City Chapter.

• Duluth CVG – Transforming the passionate hobby of scrap booking into a successful fund raising vehicle, which can be replicated by others.
• YSC Kansas City – Building a relationship with the Kansas City Cancer that developed into a fund raising and awareness event partnership.

Chapter Achievement Award in "Community Collaborations and Partnerships"

• YSC Central Indiana – Acting as the driving force behind the creation of a joint council for women's cancers and participating in a new local program, a dragon boat team; examples of Central Indiana collaborations this past year.

Chapter Achievement Award in "Development and Fundraising"

• YSC Northern New Jersey – Significantly increasing its revenues in the past year through their annual In Living Pink event as well as new fundraising activities.

Chapter Achievement Award in "Programming"

• YSC Central Indiana –Showing commitment to YSC programs by successfully offering all YSC programs to their local constituents. In particular, the Newly Diagnosed Resource Kits for which they achieved funding and local support for distribution.

Chapter "Program Champion" Award, for creating and implementing new programs, which can be replicated in other Affiliates or as a national program.

• YSC Central Ohio – Implementation and management of their volunteer program.

CVG Volunteer of the Year Award, to a CVG coordinator who went "above and beyond" to make CVG successful.

• Alane Davis, Duluth CVG – She implemented YSC programming, brought survivors together to network and built CVG participation. Alane Davis also coordinated two successful fundraisers, a Mother's Day walk and a scrap-booking event.

The Lisa Muccilo Excellence in Volunteering Award (Chapter Volunteer), to a Chapter volunteer who exemplifies the significant contributions individuals can make in their YSC, their communities and in the lives of others.

• Amy Phillips, Central Indiana - She is fully committed to YSC Central Indiana and has been involved in every event and program in the past year and a half. Her quiet leadership is described as "unassuming but powerful and effective." The Award is named in honor of Lisa Marie Muccilo, YSC Board Member, leader of YSC New Jersey programs, and tireless volunteer, who passed away August 18, 2003 at the age of 33.

Community Volunteer Group of the Year

• Greater Philadelphia CVG – Stands out for its commitment and efforts to raise community awareness about young women and breast cancer. An example of its success is the establishment of a second monthly networking meeting in a different location enabling them to reach more young women.

Chapter of the Year

• YSC Central Indiana - Recognized as a leader in the YSC network for its development of new programming, growth of its volunteer base, innovative fundraising ideas and participation in YSC national activities. In addition, YSC Central Indiana is recognized as a leader in the local breast cancer community.

"Big Bunch" Award

• YSC Kansas City (ten attendees) - The "biggest bunch" of attendees at the Affiliate Conference.

Community Volunteer Groups are comprised of volunteers who are a point of contact for young women in their communities. YSC CVGs are Duluth, MN; Miami, FL; Northern CA; Orlando, FL; Greater Philadelphia, PA; San Diego, CA; Savannah, GA; Tulsa, OK; and Washington, DC. Chapters are the one of the highest levels of affiliation and have more stringent requirements. A Chapter must first be a CVG for at least six months. YSC Chapters are Atlanta, GA; Central Ohio; Houston, TX; Central Indiana; Kansas City, KS; and Northern New Jersey.

The Young Survival Coalition was founded in 1998 by three women diagnosed with breast cancer under the age of 35 who were discouraged by the lack of information available to young women diagnosed with the disease. With 23,000 constituents, 11 full-time staff people, and 15 affiliates nationwide, the YSC works to change the face of breast cancer by advocating for more research on young women and breast cancer and providing this underserved population with vital programs and services dedicated to their needs so as to increase their quality and quantity of life and to decrease the sense of isolation they feel. For information go to www.youngsurvival.org.