NEW YORK CITY – The 2012 Avon Walk for Breast Cancer series returns for its tenth year to the New York metropolitan area with the Avon Walk New York on October 20-21. The Avon Walk series brings together thousands of participants – including breast cancer survivors – who are dedicated to raising life-saving funds for the breast cancer cause. Last year’s Avon Walk New York raised more than $8.4 million and attracted 3,500 participants, including 444 breast cancer survivors, from 42 states, Washington, D.C., and six countries.

The Avon Walks offers participants a choice of walking a marathon (26.2 miles) or a marathon-and-a-half (39.3 miles) over a weekend. Walkers raise a minimum of $1,800 to participate and the Avon Foundation for Women distributes the funds raised to local, regional and national breast cancer organizations. Chenango Health Network is a recipient of an Avon Breast Health Outreach Program grant to increase awareness of the life-saving benefits of early detection of breast cancer. The Every Woman Counts in Chenango County Campaign uses the funding from the Avon Foundation for Women to educate Chenango County women and refer them to low-cost or free mammograms and clinical breast exams in their own communities. The Every Woman Counts in Chenango County Campaign encourages Chenango County women to seek breast cancer screenings.