Six non-profits serving thousands of women for breast cancer detection and treatment in Loudoun and Fauquier Counties have been awarded funds from a Middleburg breast cancer group. The Cherry Blossom Breast Cancer Fund will disburse greater than 100% of its funds raised in 2007 to local non-profit organizations for detection and treatment of breast cancer and to a regional cancer research center for eradication of the disease.

In its first year, the Fund's donations and three events generated approximately $56,000, almost twice the goal set last January. The 2008 goal is $125,000. The Fund, part of the Piedmont Community Foundation, will grant the following:

-Loudoun Community Health Center, Leesburg: $2000 to pay for the fees charged by breast cancer specialists for women unable to pay.

-FISH, Middleburg: $1000 to pay for the breast cancer drugs needed by local women.

-Loudoun Voluntary Caregivers, Leesburg: $1500 for outreach to senior citizens on the need for breast cancer exams and mammograms.

-Blue Ridge Hospice: $2000 for hospice care of breast cancer patients.

-Digital mammograms by a mobile unit owned by George Washington University: $3600 for a visit to provide mammograms scheduled by the Leesburg Community Health Center. This grant follows one in September in which 17 women were given free digital mammograms in Middleburg.

-Fauquier Hospital, Warrenton: $30,000 toward the $500,000 price of the Hospital's first digital mammography system.

The Fund's leaders have committed to reach out to the community for another $225,000 to pay on the unit over the next four years. The Hospital will fund the remainder itself and procure the system in mid-2008, the Hospital staff stated. Digital systems are the most advanced capability in mammography and detect 28% more cancers than film-based systems.

-Research to eradicate breast cancer: $11,000 to either Georgetown University's Lombardi Cancer Center or George Washington University's Cancer Institute. A down-select will be made by mid-December.

"Given Middleburg's location at the Loudoun and Fauquier county lines, we wanted to help the women of both communities, Fund Advisor and breast cancer patient, Mary Jo Jackson, stated. "Fauquier Hospital, for example, a community non-profit conducting film-based mammograms on more than 6,500 women this year, could not purchase the digital system in 2008," she said. "Our total pledge will allow these dedicated people to increase their ability to catch the disease early."

Fund founder, James Atkins, added, "The Loudoun/Fauquier community very generously, and beyond our expectations, trusted us to make a difference in the lives of our mothers, daughters, wives, sisters and friends". "We committed to expend their monies wisely and expeditiously", he said, "to save as many lives as soon as possible. We believe we have met that pledge so we hope that our wonderful friends will help us make a greater difference the next few years."

In 2008 the Fund will conduct a breast cancer awareness seminar in April at the Middleburg Community Center and its second annual Nanette's Walk in the Fall. These events and direct donations are expected to raise at least $125,000 for distribution in December 2008.

Donations may be mailed to the Cherry Blossom Breast Cancer Fund, c/o the Piedmont Community Foundation, Box 402, Middleburg, 20118. For information contact James Atkins at 703.447.2302 or jp.atkins@yahoo.com.