Churchill Downs, Derby Divas and Norton Cancer Institute Open Nominations to Walk in Survivors Parade at the 145th Longines Kentucky Oaks

Feb 18, 2019 Sara Brown Meehan

Partnership Continues to Support Women’s Health in the Local Community

LOUISVILLE, KY (Monday, February 18, 2019) – Churchill Downs, Derby Divas and Norton Cancer Institute today announced that the online nomination process to select 145 breast and ovarian cancer survivors to participate in the Survivors Parade presented by Kroger at the 145th Longines Kentucky Oaks is open. The public can nominate survivors for the parade or donate to Norton Cancer Institute at www.kentuckyderby.com/survivors. Nominations are open until 11:59 p.m. on March 17. 

This is the eleventh year of the Survivors Parade and Longines Kentucky Oaks Pink Out celebration, which raise money to support women’s breast health. Churchill Downs, Derby Divas and Norton Cancer Institute will continue their three-year partnership to raise funds through Pink Out to help provide care to local women who lack access to breast health screenings and services.

Pink Out has raised nearly $1 million over the past eleven years. For the third year in a row, Churchill Downs will donate $50,000 to the Breast Health Program at Norton Cancer Institute and $1 for every Finlandia Oaks Lily sold on Oaks Day to Derby Divas. The donation will be used to help renovate the Norton Prevention & Wellness Mobile Prevention Center, which provides free screening services to underserved patients age 40 and older in Jefferson and surrounding counties. Included in this renovation will be the addition of a digital tomosynthesis system, which is an advanced form of breast imaging, or mammography, that uses a low-dose x-ray system and creates multiple three-dimensional images to help with better diagnoses.  

“Our continued partnership with Derby Divas and Norton Cancer Institute has added to our past success to support these important women’s health issues,” said Tonya Abeln, President of Churchill Downs Incorporated Foundation. “Most importantly, the partnership focuses that support locally to build on the great work that Derby Divas and Norton Cancer Institute are doing in our community.”

“For the third year in a row, our partnership with Derby Divas and Churchill Downs means that more critical breast health programs are accessible to the women in our community,” said Lynnie Meyer, Ed.D, R.N., CFRE, Norton Healthcare senior vice president and chief development officer.

“We are thrilled to be central to the Oaks Pink Out for a third year,” said Derby Diva and breast cancer survivor Angela Tafel. “Derby Divas is a volunteer-driven community program, so the fact that the partnership focuses on making a difference locally means we can continue to raise funds and provide services to prevent breast cancer to underserved women here at home.”

About Churchill Downs Racetrack

Churchill Downs, the world’s most legendary racetrack, has conducted Thoroughbred racing and presented the Kentucky Derby since 1875. Located in Louisville, the flagship racetrack of Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ: CHDN) offers year-round simulcast wagering at the historic track. Churchill Downs will conduct the 145th running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve on May 4, 2019. The track’s 2019 Spring Meet is scheduled for April 27-June 29. Churchill Downs has hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Championships nine times. www.ChurchillDowns.com. 

About Derby Divas

Derby Divas is a group of dedicated volunteers committed to raising significant funds for breast health initiatives. Their focus is making sure underserved women have access to mammograms and other key services to help prevent, detect and treat breast cancer. During the past decade, the group has raised more than $1.5 million for breast health programs and initiatives, including Norton Healthcare’s mobile prevention center that provides free mammograms and wellness exams to women with limited access to these care services. One of the group’s highlights has been to see the Derby Divas Breast Health Center dedicated at Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital. https://nortonhealthcare.com/ways-to-help/norton-healthcare-foundation/foundation-events/derby-divas/

About Norton Cancer Institute Breast Health Program

The Norton Cancer Institute Breast Health Program is accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a program administered by the American College of Surgeons. The program was developed to provide comprehensive breast care, including prevention, diagnostic and treatment services, to women in our community. Along with clinical services, the program provides education and support through a team of certified breast care navigators. These registered nurses are specially trained in breast health issues and breast cancer treatment, and are available to assist patients and their families from the point of an abnormal mammogram through diagnosis, treatment and survivorship. In 2018 breast health nurse navigators had more than 6,400 interactions with patients. . The Breast Health Program also cares for the person within by offering support groups and community education.  The program facilitates the Young Survivors Day Out for women diagnosed at age 45 or younger, and a monthly breast cancer support group for any woman affected by breast cancer.

About Longines

Based in Saint-Imier, Switzerland since 1832, the watchmaking company Longines offers expertise based on devotion to tradition, elegance and performance. With generations of experience as official timekeeper of world championships and as the partner of international sports federations, Longines has built solid and lasting relationships in the world of sport over the years. Known for the elegance of its timepieces, Longines is a member of Swatch Group S.A., the world’s leading watch manufacturer. With a winged hourglass as its emblem, the brand has outlets in more than 150 countries.

About The Kroger Co. 

At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: to Feed the Human Spirit™. We are nearly half a million associates who serve over nine million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and 2,800 retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.