To help raise money and awareness for women’s cancers, Saks Fifth Avenue Tampa at WestShore and The Breast Cancer Research Foundation will partner with Moffitt Cancer Center to host the 2010 KEY TO THE CURE, a charity shopping weekend Oct. 21 through 24. Nationwide, Saks stores, Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH stores and www.saks.com  will donate 2 percent of sales up to $500,000 to local and national women’s cancer charities.

To launch this year’s event co-chaired by Cheryl Adams and Alysia Ekizian, Saks Fifth Avenue Tampa will host a KEY TO THE CURE celebration Oct. 20 with a Patron Party at 5 p.m. on the upper level and a Kickoff Party at 5:30 p.m. throughout the store. Saks will close its doors for these private events.

The Kickoff Party, presented by the Tampa Bay Rays, will celebrate the lives of Bay area women who battled cancer and won. Survivors will model Saks Fifth Avenue apparel in an exciting fashion show, emceed by Jen Holloway of Bright House Networks, while being escorted by Moffitt physicians and researchers. Survivors are:

·                 Chris Bencivenga, breast cancer

·                 Christina Capitano, melanoma

·                 Annette Czaika, breast cancer

·                 Frankie Harrell, breast cancer

·                 Marilyn Healy, breast cancer

·                 Nadyne Hines, lobular breast cancer

·                 Maria Lord, leukemia

·                 Tiffany Lott, breast cancer

·                 Caryn Russ, HER 2+ breast cancer

·                 Jackie Smith, melanoma

·                 Janet Weinstock, breast cancer

The evening also will feature delicious food from The Capital Grille, tempting desserts from A La Carte Event Pavilion, fine wine and champagne from Barefoot Wines, great entertainment provided by DJ Bobby Stoner, and incomparable shopping at Saks.

Tickets are $100 per person and $250 for patrons. Sponsorships for the KEY TO THE CURE Kickoff Party are:

·                 Platinum Sponsor - $10,000

·                 Gold Sponsor - $5,000

·                 Silver Sponsor - $2,500

·                 Bronze Sponsor - $1,000

·                 Sponsor-A-Survivor - $500

Call the Moffitt Foundation at (813) 745-4327 or visit www.insidemoffitt.com/KTTC to purchase tickets and to get detailed sponsorship information.

Saks Fifth Avenue and The Breast Cancer Research Foundation have announced that Uma Thurman has been named the ambassador for Saks Fifth Avenue’s 2010 KEY TO THE CURE campaign. In the 12 years since the inception of the Saks Fifth Avenue charity shopping weekend, the company, together with its vendors and partners, has raised more than $33 million for cancer research. 

Celebrated designer Donna Karan created a limited edition T-shirt exclusively to benefit KEY TO THE CURE that will retail for $35 at Saks Fifth Avenue stores, Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH stores and on www.saks.com One hundred percent of the proceeds from each shirt sold will be donated to local charity partners. The T-shirt debuts at Saks Fifth Avenue on Oct. 1.

About Moffitt Cancer Center
Located in Tampa, Florida, Moffitt Cancer Center is an NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center – a designation that recognizes Moffitt’s excellence in research and contributions to clinical trials, prevention and cancer control. Moffitt currently has 14 affiliates in Florida, one in Georgia and two in Puerto Rico. Additionally, Moffitt is a member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, a prestigious alliance of the country’s leading cancer centers, and is listed in U.S. News & World Report  as one of “America’s Best Hospitals” for cancer. Moffitt’s sole mission is to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer.

About The Breast Cancer Research Foundation
The mission of The Breast Cancer Research Foundation® is to achieve prevention and a cure for breast cancer in our lifetime by providing critical funding for innovative clinical and translational research at leading medical centers worldwide, and increasing public awareness about good breast health. A minimum of 85 cents of every dollar goes to research and awareness programs.

About Saks Fifth Avenue
Saks Fifth Avenue, one of the world’s preeminent specialty retailers, is renowned for its superlative American and international designer collections, its expertly edited assortment of handbags, shoes, jewelry, cosmetics and gifts, and the first-rate fashion expertise and exemplary client service of its Associates. Today, Saks operates 53 full-line stores in 25 states, 5 licensed stores in the Middle East and 1 licensed store in Mexico City, 55 Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH stores and www.saks.com, the company’s online store.