Osprey Sponsors Breast Cancer Fund’s Climb Against the Odds

Osprey Packs, Inc., a leader in creating top-quality, high-performance, innovative packs to comfortably and efficiently carry gear, has announced their sponsorship of the 2010 Climb Against the Odds, the Breast Cancer Fund’s annual mountaineering expedition for breast cancer prevention.

From June 13 to 19, 2010, a team of 26 women and men who have been touched by cancer will attempt to summit the 14,179-foot Mount Shasta, located in Northern California. As a corporate sponsor, Osprey outfits each team member with an Ariel (women’s) or Aether (men’s) backpack.

The Breast Cancer Fund has led ten successful Climb Against the Odds mountaineering expeditions around the world, and through them has raised over $5 million to support the organization’s groundbreaking work to eliminate the environmental causes of breast cancer. Monies raised through climber sponsorship directly supports the policy initiatives, corporate accountability campaigns and other innovative programs that aim to stop breast cancer before it starts. Through this year’s climb, the Breast Cancer Fund hopes to raise $400,000.

Osprey is a long time supporter of the Climb Against the Odds; 2010 is the fifth year that the award-winning pack manufacturer has sponsored the event. For the first time, this year’s expedition will have an especially personal aspect to it for Osprey, as the team will include Osprey ProDeal & Program Pack Manager Sarah Harper Burke.

“I am thrilled to be part of this amazing opportunity and am so appreciative to have the support of Osprey and the outdoor community,” said Harper Burke. “The Breast Cancer Fund has made great strides in eliminating the environmental risks associated with breast cancer. I hope to help bring awareness to their focus through this climb as a novice backpacker and mountaineer. This is a challenge, both the climb and the fundraising, which I am really looking forward to.”

Sarah will be blogging about her training and the expedition on the Osprey blog, http://blog.ospreypacks.com/. To sponsor Sarah and the Breast Cancer Fund, supporters can go to: www.breastcancerfund.org/10climb/shburke.

“The Breast Cancer Fund and their vital work are incredibly important to us, and we’re proud to be sponsoring Climb Against the Odds once again,” said Gareth Martins, marketing director of Osprey. “This year is even more special for us, with our own Sarah Harper Burke on the team and personally raising money for the cause. We wish her and the rest of the inspiring team the best of luck in reaching the summit in June.”

About Osprey

Independent since 1974 and anchored by the design genius of company founder and owner, Mike Pfotenhauer, Osprey Packs has long set the standard for creating innovative, high quality gear carrying equipment. Their collection includes backpacks, pursuit specific packs, hydration packs, active everyday packs, and a full line of travel packs and bags. Located in Cortez, Colorado at the corner of the rugged San Juan Mountains and on the edge of vast sandstone canyon country, this landscape provides a constant inspiration and a superb testing ground for their products. They also maintain a product development office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam ensuring face-to-face relationships and transparency with our suppliers. Every Osprey ever built reflects the company’s commitment to protect the wild places our customers explore while using our products. For more information about Osprey, visit www.ospreypacks.com.