This year’s luncheon, sponsored by MillerCoors, will honor and welcome Mrs. Marta Martinelli, the first lady of Panama. The annual fundraising event raises awareness of global healthcare needs and supports the delivery of life-saving medical supplies and equipment to medical professionals, and patients under their care, in Panama.

Mrs. Marta Martinelli will work with Project C.U.R.E to select healthcare facilities where the supplies and equipment are most needed. Joining Mrs. Marta Martinelli in raising awareness about healthcare needs in Panama are honorary co-chairs first lady of Colorado Jeannie Ritter, Susan Kiely of MillerCoors and former first lady of Colorado Frances Owens.. Anne Trujillo, ABC news anchor for Denver’s Channel 7, will emcee the event.

“We look forward to welcoming the first lady of Panama to Denver, and to join her in her efforts to help the people of Panama. The fact that we can do this during the Biennial of the Americas is terrific,” said Dr. Douglas Jackson, president and CEO of Project C.U.R.E. “The funds raised through the Luncheon will be multiplied nearly 20 times to improve health and save lives in Panama through the delivery of medical supplies and equipment. Together, we’re changing the world."

Project C.U.R.E. expects approximately 1,800 of the city and state’s business and community leaders to attend this invitation-only luncheon. The goal for the 2010 First Ladies’ Luncheon is to raise enough money to deliver more than $3 million in medical supplies and equipment to hospitals and clinics in Panama.

The Project C.U.R.E. First Ladies’ Luncheon is an annual fundraising event featuring first ladies from around the world. Project C.U.R.E. welcomed Señora Ana Ligia de Saca, the first lady of El Salvador, for the inaugural First Ladies’ Luncheon in Denver in 2006, during which more than $70,000 was raised to deliver medical relief to El Salvador.

In 2008, Mrs. Margarita Zavala, the first lady of Mexico, was the keynote speaker at the second-annual First Ladies’ Luncheon in Denver, where she helped to raise $150,000 to deliver more than $2.5 million in medical relief to the Mexican states of Chiapas and Tabasco.

Project C.U.R.E. also hosted first lady of Belize Ms. Kim Simplis for the inaugural First Ladies’ Luncheon in Phoenix, Ariz. Nearly 900 people attended the event in November of 2008, at which enough money was raised to deliver nearly $2 million in medical relief to people in need in Belize.

In 2009, Mrs. Ernestina Naadu Mills, the first lady of Ghana, was the keynote speaker, where she helped to raise enough money to deliver more than $2 million in life-saving medical supplies and equipment to Ghana.

For more information, please contact: bridgetboyd@projectcure.org