- Lee National Denim Day
Lee National Denim Day is a single-day fundraiser created by Lee Jeans to support the
Women's Cancer Programs of the Entertainment Industry Foundation . Every year, on July 17thbreast cancer awareness month , people nationwide are asked to wear their jeans and donate $5 in support ofbreast cancer research .__TOC__
Program History
Lee National Denim Day is one of the largest single-day fundraisers for breast cancer in the world. Each year, on the first Friday in October
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month ,Lee Jeans encourages millions of people nationwide to wear their favorite jeans and make a $5 donation to support the fight against breast cancer.Now in its 13th year, Lee National Denim Day has raised more than $70 million in the fight against breast cancer. In 2007, people at nearly 18,000 companies and organizations wore denim on Lee National Denim Day.
Program Beneficiaries
Net proceeds raised from Lee National Denim Day benefit the Women’s Cancer Programs of the Entertainment Industry Foundation [http://www.eifoundation.org/national/wcp/] and will help to:
Fund Lee Laboratories nationwide to find more effective, less toxic breast cancer treatments
Develop a blood test for earlier detection of breast cancer
Help NBCC create online and print resources about breast cancer and train additional advocates to educate patients and their families about new clinical trials
For more information about Denim Day, visit [http://www.denimday.com] .
Celebrity spokespersons
*
2008 - ActorsChandra Wilson , who plays Dr. Miranda Bailey onGrey's Anatomy , andTim Daly , who plays Dr. Pete Wilder onPrivate Practice , joined the campaign in support of loved ones who have struggled with the diease.*
2007 - ActressMariska Hargitay , who plays detective Olivia Benson on is the 2007 Lee National Denim Day ambassador, and is dedicating her involvement to her childhood friend who lost her battle with breast cancer in Spring 2007. Also supporting the program in 2007 via team fundraising pages are musician and television starBilly Ray Cyrus , and actressesGabrielle Union andKerry Washington .*
2006 - ActorPierce Brosnan , who played British superspyJames Bond , was the 2006 spokesperson for Lee National Denim Day. Brosnan's first wife, Australian actressCassandra Harris , died due toovarian cancer , and he has been a cancer advocate ever since. [http://triad.bizjournals.com/triad/stories/2006/07/10/daily18.html]*
2005 - Actors James Denton andRicardo Antonio Chavira , stars of the hitTV show Desperate Housewives , joined forces to help raise $8.5 million to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Lee National Denim Day. The mothers of both actors lost their lives tobreast cancer . [http://www.komen.org/intradoc-cgi/idc_cgi_isapi.dll?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&ssDocName=LNDD_spokespersons]*
2004 - ActorCharlie Sheen , star of the hitTV show Two and a Half Men , was the 2004 spokesperson for Lee National Denim Day. A close friend of his lost her life tobreast cancer , and Charlie wanted to help find a cure for the disease. [http://www.forrelease.com/D20040811/cgwv036.P2.08112004144152.22923.html]*
2003 - ActressChristina Applegate , who is particularly well-known for playing Kelly Bundy on thesitcom "Married... with Children ", was the 2003 spokesperson for the Lee National Denim Day. Christina's mother,Nancy Priddy , is a breast cancer survivor. [http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/spotlighthealth/2003-09-23-applegate_x.htm]*
2002 - ActressMelina Kanakaredes , star of theCBS TV show "" as Detective Stella Bonasera, was the 2002 spokesperson for Lee National Denim Day. A friend of hers was diagnosed with breast cancer. [http://www.drdonnica.com/display.asp?article=5862]*
2001 - ActressLucy Liu , co-star in the filmCharlie's Angels and onTV 'sAlly McBeal , was the 2001 spokesperson for Lee National Denim Day. Liu was once diagnosed with a non-cancerous breast lump. [http://www.county.allegheny.pa.us/dhs/Newsletters/Sep01/Breast%20Cancer.htm]*
2000 - ActorRob Lowe , perhaps best known for playingSam Seaborn in theTV show "The West Wing", was the first male spokesperson for the Lee National Denim Day. His grandmother and great-grandmother both suffered frombreast cancer . [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BDW/is_22_41/ai_62553198]*
1999 - ActressPatricia Arquette , who stars as the psychicAllison DuBois onNBC 'sTV show "Medium", was the 1999 spokesperson for Lee National Denim Day. Patricia's mother died frombreast cancer in 1997. [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000099/bio]*
1998 - ActressYasmine Bleeth , most famous for her acting role asCaroline Holden on the worldwide-syndicatedTV show "Baywatch ", was the 1998 spokesperson for Lee National Denim Day. Yasmine's mother died frominflammatory breast cancer when Yasmine was only 20 years old. [http://www.ibcmemorial.org/carina.html]*
1996 - Professional Basketball starRebecca Lobo , whose mother is a breast cancer survivor, was the 1996 spokesperson for Lee National Denim Day. In 1996, Rebecca and her mother, RuthAnn Lobo, collaborated on a book entitled "The Home Team" [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1568361998] , which dealt with RuthAnn's battle with breast cancer.Trivia
The manufacturer of Lee Jeans, VF Corporation, is also a leader in the manufacture of intimate apparel such as Vassarette, Bestform, and Lily of France and has been around for more than 118 years.
ee also
*Lee Jeans
External links
* [http://www.denimday.com/ Lee National Denim Day]
* [http://www.lee.com Lee Jeans]
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