It’s time to gather a team of family, friends and co-workers, don pink attire, and help raise funds for those in need of breast cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment.

Join the Desert Cancer Foundation’s 8th Annual Paint El Paseo Pink Charitable Walk Saturday, October 11. This impactful event brings the Coachella Valley together to support our uninsured or underinsured community members in need of breast cancer screening and care; celebrate survivors; honor those “in memory of”; and to provide education on the importance of screenings.

This year’s Honorary Chair, Pattie Daly Caruso, will kick off the event with opening ceremonies at The Gardens on El Paseo at 9:30 am before leading walkers down El Paseo and back to The Gardens.

Paint El Paseo Pink is produced by the Desert Cancer Foundation (DCF). Founded in 1994, their mission is to help Coachella Valley residents in need of financial assistance with medical costs associated with cancer screenings, diagnosis and treatment.

Through their two Patients Assistance Programs (Patients Assistance and Suzanne Jackson Breast Cancer Fund), DCF has funded more than $50.5 million in cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment at a billable cost of $7.4 million dollars. Impressively, DCF has fostered valuable partnerships with Desert Regional Comprehensive Cancer Center, Eisenhower Lucy Curci Cancer Center, physicians, imaging centers, and other health care professionals who, sharing our vision and mission, provide medical care at a reduced rate.

Desert Cancer Foundation has become an important partner in our local health care system as service providers refer patients in need of financial assistance. A model program in cancer care, DCF is one of only a few organizations in the nation which pay for an individual’s cancer treatment including biopsies, surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation and prescriptions through their Patient Assistance program. In 2005, DCF expanded its assistance programs to include funding breast cancer screenings and diagnostic services for low-income, uninsured residents.