Women's Swimwear Specialty Retailer Everything But Water Joins With LUNGevity Foundation in Fight to End Lung Cancer

For the second year, national retailer donating five percent of all sales from Black Friday (Nov. 23) through Monday (Nov. 26) to nation's largest lung cancer organization, LUNGevity Foundation

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Everything But Water, the largest women's specialty swim and resortwear store in the United States is donating five percent of all sales from Black Friday (Nov. 23) through Cyber Monday (Nov. 26) to LUNGevity Foundation, the nation's largest lung cancer nonprofit. The five percent donation will apply on all sales, including gift cards, throughout the retailer's 67 stores and online at www.everythingbutwater.com.

This will be the fourth year Sheila Arnold, CEO and President of Everything But Water, has promoted store initiatives to benefit LUNGevity Foundation. She took on the battle against lung cancer because she believes it is important to address issues that affect women and women's health. Lung cancer kills more women than any other cancer – almost twice as many women die of lung cancer than breast cancer. Arnold also has a special connection to the issue because her mother died of lung cancer and her brother, Jerry Sorkin, was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer in 2007.  Sorkin serves as vice-chair of LUNGevity Foundation's Board of Directors, and is a never-smoker.

"The partnership with Everything But Water is incredibly important to our national lung cancer movement and we are grateful for their continuing support," said LUNGevity Foundation President Andrea Stern Ferris.  "The disease impacts thousands of families just like Jerry and Sheila's across the nation and LUNGevity is committed to creating a community to support them and funding impactful research. Partnering with a major retail organization like Everything But Water elevates the conversation about lung cancer to a new level."

Everything But Water chose the timing of its contribution – the kickoff to holiday shopping and one of the year's busiest shopping periods – to highlight its commitment to the cause, to help bring attention to the disease, and to capture the spirit of generosity that marks the holiday season. Throughout the weekend, Everything But Water's expert sales associates will help shoppers find perfect getaway looks and gorgeous gifts. Customers can also shop, and learn more about the partnership, at www.everythingbutwater.com.

"We are passionate about raising awareness for such an important issue," said Arnold. "Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer and affects too many families, including my own. Far too many women and men are stricken with this disease.  We are committed to the cause and see Black Friday weekend as an ideal opportunity for our customers to show their support while they shop.  We are very pleased to continue working with LUNGevity Foundation. Over the course of our four year partnership, LUNGevity has made great progress in funding lung cancer research. There are tests and treatments available now, which weren't available four years ago." 

Lung cancer takes a terrible toll on our nation. More than 200,000 Americans are diagnosed with lung cancer and more than 150,000 die from the disease each year. Over the course of their lives, one in 14 Americans is affected by lung cancer. Lung cancer can afflict anyone regardless of age, gender, smoking history or skin color. And because there is no widely available, effective early diagnostic test for the disease, less than 16 percent of people diagnosed with lung cancer survive more than five years.

About LUNGevity Foundation
The mission of LUNGevity Foundation is to have a meaningful impact on improving lung cancer survival rates, ensure a higher quality of life for lung cancer patients and provide a community for those impacted by lung cancer. It does so by supporting critical research into the early detection and successful treatment of lung cancer, as well as by providing information, resources and a support community to patients and caregivers.  

LUNGevity seeks to inspire the nation to commit to ending lung cancer.

For more information about the grants or LUNGevity Foundation, please visit www.lungevity.org.

About Lung Cancer

• 1 in 14 Americans is diagnosed with lung cancer in their lifetime
• Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death, regardless of gender or ethnicity
• Lung cancer kills almost twice as many women as breast cancer and more than three times as many men as prostate cancer
• About 55% of all new lung cancer diagnoses are among people who have never smoked or are former smokers
• Only 16% of all people diagnosed with lung cancer will survive 5 years or more, BUT if it's caught before it spreads, the chance for 5-year survival improves dramatically

SOURCE LUNGevity Foundation