LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Campaign Launches in Italy with Leading Italian Cancer Organizations and Survivors to Address Stigma of Cancer

Armstrong racing in his premiere Giro d'Italia to raise awareness of the global cancer burden

ROME, Italy – May 5, 2009 – Today the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF), joined by leading Italian non-governmental organizations and cancer survivors, announced the launch of the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Campaign in Italy. At the Policlinico Universitario "Agostino Gemelli" in Rome, Lance Armstrong, LAF Founder and Chairman, champion cyclist and cancer survivor, visited patients receiving treatment for cancer in the hospital's oncology center. He introduced the Campaign alongside Doug Ulman, LAF President and CEO and three-time cancer survivor; Professor Carlo Barone, Director of the Unità Operativa of Oncologia Medica at Policlinico Gemelli; oncological surgeon Prof. Paolo Magistrelli, President of the faculty of Medicine and Surgery at the Università Cattolica; and Dr. Elisabetta Iannelli, Vice President of AIMaC.

"Cancer is a huge public health problem, not only for Italy but for the entire world," said Armstrong. "The stigma attached to cancer often leads to late diagnosis and silent suffering for millions of people. As we face the prospect of cancer becoming the leading cause of death around the globe in 2010, we believe there has never been a better time to spread the LIVESTRONG message of hope and strength in the fight against this disease across the great country of Italy this month during the Giro d'Italia."

"In the last ten years much progress has been made in the treatment of cancer thanks to the improvement of surgical techniques and to the research that has resulted in new pharmaceutical therapies," said Barone. "In spite of this progress, we cannot forget that the care of cancer is the care of people. In this context the patient associations and the foundations, such as the Lance Armstrong Foundation, play the important roles of sensitization and support, but also of training and prevention."

"We applaud the work being done in cancer centers and hospitals around Italy," said Ulman. "Paired with the work of organizations such as AIMaC, Europa Donna, LILT, Umberto Veronesi Foundation and others, we can make a renewed commitment to reducing the burden of cancer in Italy and breaking down the stigma and silence too often associated with the disease."

Following the visit to Policlinico Gemelli, Armstrong and Ulman met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Franco Frattini, to encourage an Italian commitment to the fight against cancer to be presented at the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Summit in August. In conjunction with the events in Rome, LIVESTRONG began airing a public service announcement on Italian national television and launched an Italian language resource page on its website, www.livestrong.org/italia, to engage Italian citizens in the fight against cancer.

In support of Armstrong's participation in his premiere Giro d'Italia (May 9-31), which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, LIVESTRONG will have many opportunities to build grassroots awareness of the burden of cancer, thanks to its corporate partner Nike. Visibility efforts include the Open Roads project, in which Hope Rides Again yellow boxes of chalk and cheer cards are given to supporters who line the tour route; two LIVESTRONG branded cars along the Giro route; wristband distribution at eight select stages as well as distribution of information on how to support the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Campaign by purchasing items from the LIVESTRONG collection at 26 stores across Italy; and a professional chalk artist, Ambrogio, will create LIVESTRONG chalk drawings at key stages along the route.

By 2010, cancer is projected to become the leading cause of death worldwide. Cancer kills more people every year than AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined. It is already a leading cause of death in Italy; nearly 300,000 cases will be diagnosed this year alone and 157,000 Italians will lose their lives to this disease in 2009. The leading types of cancer among men in Italy are lung, prostate and colorectal and breast and colorectal among women. The good news is that the Italian government has recently created a working group to address the burden of this disease in Italy.

Commitments are critical to avoid a looming public health catastrophe. However, many governments devote few resources to fighting cancer and collect little information about its causes and effects. The LAF is working with world leaders to focus on developing international partnerships, cancer advocacy, research and data collection.

Australia, Mexico, Ireland, Jordan and the United States have expressed support for the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Campaign, which is focused on supporting the 28 million people living with cancer worldwide, dispelling the misconceptions surrounding the disease and urging world leaders, leading cancer organizations and cancer survivors to join together in this effort. The Campaign's landmark event, the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Summit, will take place in Dublin, Ireland, Aug. 24-26, 2009.

The Summit will make the case for urgent action to address the global cancer burden and introduce new commitments for cancer control by bringing together world leaders, corporations, non-governmental organizations and advocates in an unprecedented show of solidarity. The secondary purpose of the Summit is to build a global grassroots advocacy movement to influence global action in the fight against cancer. Participation in the Summit is by invitation only. LAF has outlined a commitment process that all world leaders and representatives from non-governmental organizations and corporations are required to complete to be eligible for invitation. For more information about the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Campaign or the commitment process, visit www.LIVESTRONG.org.

Following its successes in Australia, California and Mexico, the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Campaign continues in Europe – with a presence in Italy throughout the Giro d'Italia (May 9-31), then the Tour de France (July 4-26), the Tour of Ireland (Aug. 19-23) and the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Summit in Ireland (Aug. 24-26), as well as other locations to be announced. For more information on the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Campaign, please visit www.LIVESTRONGblog.org.

About the Lance Armstrong Foundation:
At the Lance Armstrong Foundation, we fight for the 28 million people around the world living with cancer today. There can be – and should be – life after cancer for more people. That's why we kick in at the moment of diagnosis, giving people the resources and support they need to fight cancer head-on. We find innovative ways to raise awareness, fund research and end the stigma about cancer that many survivors face. We connect people and communities to drive social change, and we call for state, national and world leaders to help fight this disease. Anyone anywhere can join our fight against cancer. Join us at www.LIVESTRONG.org.