Patrick Dempsey Congratulates Frederick Woman for Being a Top Fundraiser for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer

Deb Wills Raised $49,447 for Breast Cancer

Donate to Deb’s Avon Breast Cancer Walk

Frederick, MD/Daytona, FL (February 5, 2010) – Award-winning actor Patrick Dempsey hosted Frederick, MD, resident Deb Wills at the 2010 Grand-Am Rolex 24 in Daytona, congratulating her on being one of nine top fundraisers nationally for the 2009 Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. Wills was the top fundraiser for the 2009 Avon Walk Washington, D.C., raising $49,447. This was Wills’ tenth time participating in the Avon Walk, and she is training hard and raising funds in preparation for the 2010 Avon Walk Washington, D.C.

Wills was inspired to take part in the Avon Walk Washington, D.C. because as a 24-year breast cancer survivor she has met so many people who have been touched by the disease. “I walk because I can’t walk away,” Wills said. “I feel like I have been given a gift of survivorship and it gives women hope to see a survivor walk.”

For her next Avon Walk in Washington, D.C., in May 2010, Wills has set a fundraising goal of $60,000. To date she has raised more than $30,000, the majority of which was raised by Team All Ears. a 42-member running team she assembled to participate in the Disney World Marathon. To support Wills’ fundraising campaign, please visit www..

The final winners raised a total of $255,000 for the 2009 Avon Walks; overall, the 2009 Avon Walks raised more than $52 million. This money helps the Avon Foundation for Women provide much-needed funding to accelerate breast cancer research, help deserving cancer centers and community organizations so they can carry out their important work, and ensure that anyone facing a breast cancer diagnosis gets the care they need, regardless of their ability pay.

Wills and the top fundraisers from each of the other eight Avon Walks held in 2009 had breakfast with Dempsey and the Dempsey Racing team as part of the Dempsey Racing Champions’ Circle, an exciting partnership announced one year ago at the 2009 Grand-Am Rolex 24. The contest offered the top fundraiser in each of the nine 2009 Avon Walk for Breast Cancer events the opportunity to meet Patrick Dempsey and the Dempsey Racing team as special guests at the 2010 Rolex 24 on January 30-31, 2010.

While the fundraising minimum for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer is $1,800 per walker, many participants raise far more, and the Dempsey Racing Champions’ Circle provided a new fundraising incentive. Dempsey also attended the 2009 Avon Walks for Breast Cancer Los Angeles where he raffled off the racing suit, emblazoned with the Avon Walk logo, that he wore at the 2009 Grand-Am Rolex 24.

“Real men can wear pink!” said Dempsey. “With a new diagnosis of breast cancer every three minutes, we need to keep up the fight. That’s why the funds raised by these nine Avon Walk fundraisers, and all of the thousands of walkers across the country, is so important. I am so impressed with the perseverance of these walkers, that even in this difficult economy they raised an incredible amount – $255,000 – to save lives.”

The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer series is a project of the Avon Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity, encompassing nine 39-mile weekend-long walks that attract tens of thousand of participants and raise millions each year to ensure that everyone has access to quality breast cancer screening, support and treatment, and to advance research to ultimately eradicate breast cancer. From 2003-2009, the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer series attracted nearly 100,000 participants and raised more than $320 million.

The Avon Walk Washington, D.C., is one of nine weekend walks taking place in 2010. The complete 2010 Avon Walk for Breast Cancer schedule includes: Houston, TX (April 10-11); Washington, D.C. (May 1-2); Boston, MA (May 15-16); Chicago, IL (June 5-6); Rocky Mountains, CO (June 26-27); San Francisco, CA (July 10-11); Santa Barbara, CA (September 11-12); New York, NY (October 16-17); and Charlotte, NC (October 23-24).

“The Avon Foundation for Women is extremely proud of Deb and the other members of the Dempsey Racing Champions’ Circle winners for rising to the challenge and making such an important contribution to the fight against breast cancer,” said Carol Kurzig, president of the Avon Foundation for Women. “And we are thrilled to have Patrick Dempsey and the Dempsey Racing Team supporting our mission to raise much needed funds for breast cancer screening, treatment and research.”

To learn more, visit www.avonwalk.org or www.teamhypersport.com.