CVS/pharmacy Launches In-store Fundraising Campaign to Support ALS and Cystic Fibrosis

WOONSOCKET, R.I., May 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- On May 27, CVS/pharmacy launched a new in-store fundraising campaign named Advancing Medical Research, to support medical research and help improve the quality of life for those living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and cystic fibrosis (CF).  Funds raised through the campaign will benefit the ALS Therapy Alliance (ATA), a leading organization dedicated to advancing ALS research, and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the world's leader in the search for a cure for cystic fibrosis.  Supporters for the 2012 campaign can donate $1 or $3 dollars at the register in CVS/pharmacy locations and online at www.cvs.com/alscff through June 30.

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Treg Charlton, a regional director of real estate for CVS Caremark living with ALS, and Brenda Fox, a CVS/pharmacy store manager and parent of two children living with cystic fibrosis, will serve as campaign co-chairs to share their own personal stories and further educate the public about each devastating disease.

"As a national leader in health care, CVS Caremark works with a number of nonprofit partners that align with our purpose and are focused on helping people on their path to better health.  For more than ten years, our in-store campaign supporting the ALS Therapy Alliance has been a tremendous success and we're excited to expand our efforts to help those living with cystic fibrosis this year," said Eileen Howard Boone, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications & Community Relations for CVS Caremark.  "We want to thank our customers and colleagues for continuing to support this very important annual campaign.  Together, we can drive medical research for both of these causes in the hopes of finding a cure for those living with cystic fibrosis and ALS."

ALS is a life-altering diagnosis for patients and the family, friends and community surrounding them.  The disease disrupts muscle function while leaving the brain intact, ultimately causing patients to become "trapped" in their own body.  Life expectancy is just four to six years.  There is no known cause or cure for ALS, which affects approximately 30,000 Americans, with 5,000 new cases diagnosed each year.  To date, CVS/pharmacy has raised more than $27 million in support of ALS research. 

With the Advancing Medical Research campaign, CVS/pharmacy will continue to help ATA drive medical research, including the development of promising drug therapies and collaborative efforts between academics and pharmaceutical companies. 

"CVS/pharmacy has been instrumental in making possible the groundbreaking research conducted by the ALS Therapy Alliance," said Dr. Robert H. Brown, Jr., president of ALS Therapy Alliance.  "Their annual in-store campaign has helped us understand the cause, risk factors and progression of ALS.  This year, it will bring us one step closer to finding a cure for ALS."

Cystic fibrosis is a fatal genetic disease that causes debilitating lung infections and premature death.  It affects about 30,000 children and adults in the United States.  In January, a major advance in the fight against CF was realized when a new, breakthrough medication was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.  Called Kalydeco, it's the first drug that targets the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis for a small segment of people with the disease. The Advancing Medical Research campaign will support research and development for drug therapies like Kalydeco to help more people living with cystic fibrosis. 

"The Advancing Medical Research campaign will help drive continued advancements in research and development so that we are able to reach our ultimate goal of finding a cure for all people with cystic fibrosis," said Robert J. Beall, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.  "We're grateful to CVS/pharmacy for their commitment to help people with cystic fibrosis live longer and better lives."

To learn more about the Advancing Medical Research campaign, or make a donation, please visit www.cvs.com/alscff.

About ALS Therapy Alliance (ATA)

ALS Therapy Alliance was founded in 2000 to facilitate ALS research projects and collaborations among a diverse group of scientists and clinicians. The scientists involved in the ATA are affiliated with some of the best universities and medical centers, including, among others, the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard College, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital, and Boston University. ATA's board is comprised of outstanding clinicians, scientists and business associates including two Nobel Prize Laureates, H. Robert Horvitz, Ph.D. and Craig C. Mello, Ph.D., who are committed to the organization's mission. CVS Caremark is the largest corporate donor to ALS research. For more information, please visit www.alstherapyalliance.org.

About the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is the world's leader in the search for a cure for cystic fibrosis. The Foundation funds more CF research than any other organization, and nearly every CF drug available today was made possible because of Foundation support. Based in Bethesda, Md., the Foundation also supports and accredits a national care center network that has been recognized by the National Institutes of Health as a model of care for a chronic disease. The CF Foundation is a donor-supported nonprofit organization. For more information, please visit www.cff.org.

About CVS/pharmacy

CVS/pharmacy, the retail division of CVS Caremark Corporation (NYSE: CVS), is America's leading retail pharmacy with more than 7,300 CVS/pharmacy and Longs Drug stores. CVS/pharmacy is reinventing pharmacy to help people on their path to better health by providing the most accessible and personalized expertise, both in its stores and online at CVS.com. General information about CVS/pharmacy and CVS Caremark is available at info.cvscaremark.com. 

Media Contacts:

Joanne Dwyer, CVS/pharmacy
(401) 770-2898
[email protected]

Traci Bisson, ALS Therapy Alliance
(603) 664-5005
[email protected]

Laurie Fink, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
(301) 841-2602
[email protected]

SOURCE CVS/pharmacy