Panera's "Pink Ribbon Bagel" Benefit Cancer Institute of New Jersey

 “Doing good never tasted so great!”  That’s the message from Panera Bread® bakery-cafés in an effort to highlight breast cancer awareness in area communities during the month of October.  The annual campaign features the local sale of the Pink Ribbon Bagel -- proceeds from which will benefit Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey.

The Cancer Institute of New Jersey is one of the many breast cancer-related entities nationwide that will receive contributions from the sale of Panera’s Pink Ribbon Bagel – which features cherry chips and real bits of Bing cherries and cranberries and is shaped in the form of a traditional breast cancer awareness ribbon.  For every Pink Ribbon Bagel sold in the 42 Panera Bread locations in northern and central New Jersey (www.panerabread.com), ten cents will support breast cancer research and patient education programs at the Cancer Institute.

“As New Jersey’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, it is part of our overall mission to identify new breast cancer treatments, as well as to develop educational opportunities relating to breast cancer prevention.  Panera’s dedication to this cause helps Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey achieve these goals, and we are grateful for their continued support,” noted Cancer Institute Chief Medical Officer Deborah Toppmeyer, MD, director of both the Institute’s Stacy Goldstein Breast Cancer Center and the LIFE Center, and associate professor of medicine at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

“The Pink Ribbon Bagel has been a customer favorite for over a decade, in part because it’s a tasty way to add flavor to the day and because each bagel sold helps support the fight against an illness that touches so many,” said Panera Regional Vice President Robert MacEachern. “PaneraBread is proud to work with the communities we serve to help raise money for this worthy cause.  In our market, we are pleased to support the cutting-edge research and programs of Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey.”

The Panera Pink Ribbon Bagel was developed in 2001 as a way to support breast cancer awareness.