WINNIPEG, April 1 /CNW/ - Scotiabank kicked off a fundraising campaign
today in support of the World Conference on Breast Cancer Foundation. All
Scotiabank branches across the country will sell lapel pins to raise funds to
give financial assistance to participants who could otherwise not afford to
attend the 5th World Conference on Breast Cancer, which will be held in
Winnipeg on June 4-8, 2008. Scotiabank, which is the premier sponsor of the
conference, officially launched the fundraising drive today at its Portage and
Main branch in Winnipeg.
    "Scotiabank supports this conference because it is important to our
employees and our customers, in Canada and around the world," said Sylvia
Chrominska, Executive Vice-President, Human Resources, Scotiabank. "As a
global employer with operations in fifty countries around the world we
recognize the importance of bringing people together in one place to exchange
information and share experiences in the fight against breast cancer."
    The Pink Ribbon Campaign, a similar fundraising drive by Scotiabank for
the 2005 conference, raised almost $200,000 to aid conference attendees. The
Bank provided an additional $90,000 in matching funds. This pool of funds
subsidized conference fees for breast cancer survivors - including people from
every province and territory in Canada, as well as Cameroon, Zambia, Iran,
India, Egypt, the former Yugoslavia and New Zealand.
    For the first time since the Conference began, the 2008 World Conference
on Breast Cancer will have a separate focus on youth and on men. Youth will be
invited to participate in a special series of events on Saturday, June 7th
aimed at promoting awareness and education. The Conference will also feature
Edith Pituskin of Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton, who will emphasize the
realities of breast cancer for men.
    "The World Conference on Breast Cancer continues to grow and provide new
insights and shed new light on this issue," said Barbara Shumeley, President,
World Conference on Breast Cancer Foundation. "We look forward to welcoming
both returning and new participants from across Canada and around the world at
this year's event."
    Previous conferences have been held in Kingston, Ottawa, Victoria and
Halifax.
    "We look forward to working with the World Conference on Breast Cancer
Foundation to host the 2008 event," said Terry Bjornson, Scotiabank
Vice-President, Winnipeg District. "Our employees are already working very
hard to help raise funds for the event and many will volunteer at the
conference."
    The concept behind the World Conference on Breast Cancer originated 12
years ago in Kingston. Founded by a group of breast cancer survivors, the
conference has grown into a multi-disciplinary, international gathering that
allows women from around the world to engage in discussion and develop
valuable tools to assist them in their journey with breast cancer. The 5th
World Conference on Breast Cancer - taking place June 4-8, 2008 in Winnipeg -
will provide opportunities to educate and share information on all aspects of
breast cancer: research, diagnosis, treatment, support, prevention, outreach
and education. To register for the conference please visit www.wcbcf.ca.

    Scotiabank is committed to supporting the communities in which we live
and work, both in Canada and abroad. Recognized as a leader internationally
and among Canadian corporations for its charitable donations and philanthropic
activities, in 2007 the Bank provided more than $43 million in sponsorships
and donations to a variety of projects and initiatives, primarily in the areas
of healthcare, education, social services and arts and culture. Visit us at
www.scotiabank.com.

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