More than 18,000 McKesson employees to give back through 'Community Days'

SAN FRANCISCO - McKesson on Monday announced that more than 18,000 McKesson employees at more than 180 locations across the U.S. and Canada will participate in the annual "Community Days" volunteer event. Held Sept. 19 - 30, 2016, Community Days lets employees give back and raise awareness about the struggle many cancer patients face to afford basic items during chemotherapy treatment.



This year, McKesson employees in the U.S. and Canada will make more than 20,000 blankets, decorate "hope chests" and write personal notes of encouragement for cancer patients. These items will be included in care packages that are distributed through Giving Comfort, a program of the McKesson Foundation.



"Our company is dedicated to better health for our communities and volunteering is one of the ways we demonstrate that commitment," stated Christine Lopez, president of the McKesson Foundation.  "Our employees have a lot of heart and share the belief that no one should face cancer alone. In fact, research shows that psychological and social support can decrease cancer patients' risk of recurrence and death by nearly 50%. By giving our time to prepare care packages, combined with grants from the McKesson Foundation, we aim to provide patients in our communities with the encouragement and support to keep fighting."



Each year, 1.6 million people in the U.S. are newly diagnosed with cancer. After surveying hundreds of cancer patients, social workers and oncology professionals, Giving Comfort was established in 2012 to provide cancer patients with care packages that are filled with items to offer comfort and relief during treatment.



Through the support of the McKesson Foundation, the care packages are provided to patients in need free-of-charge. The packages are delivered into the hands of patients through Giving Comfort's partnerships with hospitals, cancer treatment centers, and cancer support organizations in more than 280 locations – such as the American Cancer Society, the Mayo Clinic, and Veterans Administration cancer centers – to name a few.



In addition to McKesson employees' efforts to create comfort items for patients, the McKesson Foundation will donate a grant to a local partner of each of the more than 180 McKesson locations participating in Community Days. In total, McKesson is expected to award more than $200,000 in grants to local partners across the country, providing further funding for patient services such as transportation, lodging and counseling.