Ultimate Medical Academy Employees Join Together in “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer”

TAMPA, Fla., November 08, 2011 – In support of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Ultimate Medical Academy (UMA) employees organized a team of walkers for the 2011 Pinellas, Florida, “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” event, which took place on October 22 in downtown St. Petersburg. Hosted by the American Cancer Society, the annual walk is held in cities throughout the United States and is designed to raise funds for breast cancer awareness campaigns, education, research and treatment.

UMA participants gathered together to support one another and unite in the fight against breast cancer. The UMA team consisted of staff, faculty, family and friends, many of whom were walking in honor or remembrance of a loved one affected by the disease.

Team members set a goal of raising $1,000 for the “Making Strides” event, and exceeded that amount by more than 50% – collecting $1,540 through the team’s online donation page, plus additional cash contributions submitted the day of the walk. The event website reported that the Pinellas “Making Strides” walk raised more than $129,000 for the cause, and listed UMA among the top 10 companies and top 20 teams in terms of total donations.

Jennifer Park, Program Development Specialist, served as the UMA Team Captain for the Pinellas “Making Strides” event, coordinating the team’s fundraising efforts and 23 participants. “The UMA family is like an extension of my own family. It was an amazing experience to participate in an event that has impacted every one of us in one way or another,” stated Park. “The courage, determination and support demonstrated by the survivors and their family members were overwhelming and truly inspirational. I would like to thank everyone who contributed to our fundraising efforts, participated in the walk and helped to make this event a success on so many levels.”

As an established provider of healthcare training and degree programs, UMA recognizes the importance of contributing to breast cancer awareness and research. In addition to participating in the Pinellas “Making Strides” walk, UMA sponsored a system-wide “Learn for the Cure” initiative, in which thousands of students raised funds through learning-based and social media activities.

Donations for the Pinellas “Marking Strides Against Breast Cancer” campaign are still being accepted through the event website: http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?fr_id=36036. The “Donate” section appears along the right, and contributors can search by team to find the UMA team donation page.