Clayton News Daily

By Valerie Baldowski

vbaldowski@henryherald.com

Tanger Factory Outlet Center has lent its support to the fight against breast cancer with a $21,458 donation to the Georgia Cancer Foundation through the Stanley K. Tanger Breast Cancer Fund.

The money was collected during Tanger's national Breast Cancer Awareness campaign, Sept. 17-Oct. 19.

It was presented during a special ceremony Dec. 12 at the Locust Grove mall.

Some funds were collected from sales of a Tanger Pink Card at participating stores. For a $1 donation, shoppers received the card, which gave them special discounts at those stores. An additional $2,000 was raised during the mall's Classic Car Cruise Show Oct. 4.

Tracy Madigan, director of development for the Georgia Cancer Foundation, said breast cancer is among the top-four types of cancer diagnosed in Georgia, with 4,520 estimated diagnoses in 2007.

The National Breast Cancer Coalition states says breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for U.S. women between ages of 20 and 59. Madigan said it is important to prevent cancer before it strikes.

To achieve that preventive goal, the Foundation goes into communities throughout the state to promote mammograms for women, she explained.

According to Tanger Mall Manager Holly Duffey, the campaign marks Tanger's 15th year nationally raising funds to battle breast cancer. In addition to the Georgia Cancer Foundation, the money also supports the local efforts of more than a dozen other different breast cancer organizations through the Stanley K. Tanger Breast Cancer Fund.

"We are hopeful that our donation will make a big difference to those in our community faced with battling breast cancer this holiday season," Duffey said.

In addition to fighting cancer, there is another special reason behind the solid support for the fund-raising efforts. "Mr. [Stanley] Tanger's wife is a cancer survivor. That is why this is near and dear to his heart," she continued.