ATHENA PARTNERS CELEBRATES MOTHER'S DAY
WITH FIRST DONATION TO WOMEN'S CANCER RESEARCH

$30,000 to be donated among three leading research institutions

KIRKLAND, Wash. - In honor of Mother's Day, Athena Partners is pleased to announce its first donation of $30,000 to advancing women's cancer research. Athena Partners will donate $10,000 to each of the following organizations: the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, University of Washington Medicine and the Marsha Rivkin Center for Ovarian Cancer Research.

This contribution marks the organization's first donation since its inception in July 2003. Athena Partners devotes 100 percent of the net profits of Athena bottled water to Northwest research and education initiatives on women's cancers.

Athena Partners' donation will contribute to two highly promising areas of research for breast and ovarian cancers: the development of biomarkers and the development of vaccines. The biomarker research, under the direction of Nicole Urban, ScD, seeks to detect through a simple blood test the very earliest stages of cancer when it is most treatable. The vaccine research, under the direction of Nora Disis, M.D., seeks to discover components of a vaccine that will stimulate an immune response to prevent cancer recurrence.

"In honor of my mother and mother's everywhere, I feel Mother's Day is the appropriate day to mark Athena Partners' donation, the first of what we hope to be many," said Trish May, founder and CEO of Athena Partners. "Through the generous support of Athena by so many people and business partners in our community, we are able to contribute to finding a cure for a disease that touches so many. I am especially excited that we will support such promising research conducted in Seattle under the direction of two of the world's leading scientists focused on women's cancers."

Athena bottled water is sold in 500 ml (16.9 fl oz) six-packs, and 1-liter (33.8 fl oz) single serve bottles.

Athena Partners, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) venture philanthropy company, is dedicated to advancing research and education to eliminate breast and gynecological cancers. A full 100 percent of the net profits from sales of Athena bottled water are devoted to forward-thinking research to find a cure. Athena bottled water is available through Western Washington grocery stores, coffee shops, cafés, caterers and other specialty outlets. Athena Partners' Web site, www.athenapartners.org, provides a comprehensive Internet search directory to leading national and Seattle-area cancer information and resources about women's cancers.

** Cancer Research Studies, Institutions and Researchers Funded by Athena Partners Backgrounder Attached.

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