MedicAlert Foundation and National Breast Cancer Foundation join in fundraising partnership

Australia’s MedicAlert Foundation has partnered with the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) to raise funds to fight one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers among Australian women.

MedicAlert already plays a valuable role in supporting many thousands of Australian women living with, or recovering from, breast cancer and this new partnership has now been expanded via a new fundraising campaign.

The campaign, which is officially launched mid-October, runs until the end of the year and will see $5 donated to the NBCF from each MedicAlert product sold with a special promotional code.

The campaign aims to raise thousands of dollars for NBCF, the leading community-funded organisation in Australia raising money for research into the prevention and cure of breast cancer.

Many women living with, or recovering from breast cancer, choose to become a member of the MedicAlert Foundation and wear a MedicAlert bracelet or necklace to give them piece of mind in a medical emergency.

If an emergency arises, injections and Intravenous therapy (IV) in the arms of women living with, or recovering from breast cancer should be avoided. This is because after surgery women can develop lymphedema, a sometimes painful swelling in the arm, which is more susceptible to infection.

Simple procedures or activities such as drawing blood, leaning a book on the arm, being vaccinated, or measuring blood pressure can lead to a severe infection.

Townsville grandmother and breast cancer survivor Sally Clayton, 76, said she would not be without her MedicAlert medical ID.

Sixteen years ago Mrs Clayton was diagnosed with breast cancer and successfully treated, which included the removal of lymph nodes.

“Over the years I’ve had a bracelet and necklace and now I’ve moved to a stretchy bands and I never take it off. I like to travel as much as I can and it’s a real peace of mind for me and my family to know that in case there’s an emergency, they need to be careful of certain procedures.’’

MedicAlert Foundation Chief Executive Officer Heidi Jones said she is delighted MedicAlert is supporting the important work of the NBCF.

“Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in Australia with one in eight women developing breast cancer in their lifetime,” said Ms Jones.

“Supporting the Foundation provides an opportunity to extend the support we provide to women living with or recovering from breast cancer by raising awareness and funds.

“It also provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the value to MedicAlert to women living with or recovering from breast cancer.

“Both organisations will be actively marketing the fundraising campaign through their respective networks.”

The National Breast Cancer Foundation has welcomed the fund raising partnership with the MedicAlert Foundation. It says the campaign will help generate important funds towards research project. Research is the most effective way to end breast cancer, one of the biggest killers of Australian women and impacting many thousands of families.

The fundraising campaign runs until December 31, 2015 with purchasers of MedicAlert products needing to quote Promotional Code NBCF15 for funds to go directly to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

For more information visit https://www.medicalert.org.au/Products
 

ISSUED BY HUGHES PUBLIC RELATIONS: Please contact: Catherine Bauer on 8412 4100 or 0420 529 027 or Kate Potter on 0408 720 714.

About MedicAlert Foundation

For over 40 years, MedicAlert Foundation has been the Nation’s only not-for-profit organisation providing a 24/7 personal medical emergency information and identification service with close to 300,000 members joining since 1971.  MedicAlert members wear a bracelet or necklace with a genuine MedicAlert emblem custom engraved with their vital medical information, membership number and MedicAlert hotline number. The 24/7 hotline allows emergency service personnel and healthcare professionals to access important additional medical and other details quickly and efficiently in a time of need.