by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
Last year, Winn-Dixie employees and vendors raised $250,000 to help fight breast cancer during October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. During a ceremony at the grocery chain’s headquarters complete with pink balloons and ribbons and plenty of emotion, the money was donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
Monday, those same employees and vendors proved they could top 2007 when Dan Portnoy, Winn-Dixie’s chief merchandising and marketing officer, presented NBCF President Janelle Hail with a check for $300,000 at the Omni.
“These funds will literally save women’s lives,” said Hail, a breast cancer survivor who founded the organization 17 years ago. “Over two years $550,000 has been raised. That is a lot of money.”
Portnoy wasn’t done. In addition to the $300,000 for the NBCF, Winn-Dixie donated $100,000 to The Donna Foundation. The organization was founded by Ch. 12/25 news anchor Donna Deegan and will be used to help sponsor The Donna Foundation’s National Marathon to Fight Breast Cancer. Earlier this year, the inaugural “26.2 with Donna” was run, the only national marathon dedicated exclusively to raising money for breast cancer research and treatment.
“This is an ongoing inspiration to those who are battling the disease,” said Deegan, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1999 and has beaten it three times. She said this year’s race raised over $800,000.
Deegan also said overcoming breast cancer has been difficult, but worth the battle.
“This really has been one of the most wonderful things that has happened in my life,” she said, adding at first she thought the diagnosis was “the end of the world.”
Overcoming breast cancer three times has opened many doors and brought her together with hundreds of women dealing with the disease as well. A non-smoker who was fit and healthy, Deegan said breast cancer caught her by surprise. While she had the health insurance and personal infrastructure to help with the treatment, Deegan soon found that many women were choosing to feed their families rather than receive radiation or chemotherapy.
“I heard from women who couldn’t make ends meet while they were going through treatment,” said Deegan. “They were panicked, stressed and feared for their lives.”
Hail’s story is similar. She too had no family history and lived a clean lifestyle. After overcoming the disease, Hail set out to make sure women all over the country were educated about breast cancer, got mammograms and, if necessary, treatment.
“Our mission is to save lives through early detection and education about breast cancer, each of which is crucial in this battle,” said Hail.
Today, The Donna Foundation has raised millions of dollars and helped over 1,500 women in the 15 counties that comprise Northeast Florida.
Portnoy said throughout October, Winn-Dixie ran ads specifying which products, if purchased, would produce donations to both foundations.
“Today is one example of many of how we can give back to those who need help,” he said.
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