Published: February 26, 2018 | Updated: May 3, 2019
Churchill Downs, Derby Divas and Norton Cancer Institute have announced they will partner through 2020 to raise funds during the Kentucky Oaks to help provide care to local women who lack access to breast health screenings and services.
To celebrate the continuation of the partnership for another three years, Churchill Downs, Derby Divas and Norton Cancer Institute opened the online nomination process to select 144 breast and ovarian cancer survivors to participate in the Survivors Parade at the 144th Longines Kentucky Oaks presented by Kroger. Visit the Kentucky Derby website to nominate and select survivors. Nominations are open until 11:59 p.m. on March 18.
The partnership, which began in 2017, and the Survivors Parade are the centerpieces of the Oaks Day Pink Outcelebration to raise funds and drive breast and ovarian health awareness. Pink Out has raised $845,000 over the past nine years.
This year, Churchill Downs will donate $50,000 to the Norton Cancer Institute Breast Health Program. The donation will be used to help renovate the Norton Healthcare Mobile Prevention Center, which provides free breast screening services to underserved women ages 40 and older in Jefferson and surrounding counties.
“One in eight women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime, so the continued partnership presents significant opportunity to bring hope to women across our community,” said Lynnie Meyer, Ed.D., R.N., CFRE, senior vice president and chief development officer, Norton Healthcare.
“As a volunteer-driven community initiative, Derby Divas is excited to be a central part of this partnership,” said Angela Tafel, Derby Diva. “It will provide important help in raising funds and awareness to prevent breast cancer and provide breast health programs and services to underserved women in our community.”
“The local community has always shown such energy and support for these issues, Pink Out and the Survivors Parade,” said Tonya Abeln, president of Churchill Downs Inc. Foundation. “This partnership makes our work to raise funds for breast and ovarian health and awareness that much more meaningful because they will go directly into our own community and one of its most impactful health organizations.”
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