MILWAUKEE (Oct. 17, 2017) – As part of its annual Combos For A Cure campaign, Cousins Subs® raises $50,000 for Wisconsin-based nonprofit—the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation (VLCF).

In September, Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, each of Cousins’ Wisconsin restaurants donated a portion of the proceeds from every combo meal sold to the fight against pediatric cancer. Cousins’ Make It Better Foundation—a nonprofit charitable organization dedicated to funding local organizations that address health and wellness, hunger and youth education—also contributed to the cause helping to reach the sub shop’s $50,000 fundraising goal.

“For the third year, the community has shown great generosity and compassion. When we come together, it’s astonishing what can be accomplished and we thank all who helped us get to our $50,000 goal,” said Justin McCoy, vice president of marketing at Cousins Subs. “We have full confidence that through the efforts and support of proven organizations such as VLCF that we are on the pathway to more cancer-free tomorrows.”

VLCF will use a portion of the funds to support both the Milwaukee-based Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin and Madison-based American Family Children’s Hospital in their innovative research and implementation of immunotherapy treatment for better outcomes in childhood cancer.

Immunotherapy harnesses a patient’s own immune system to track down and rid of cancerous cells, making it a personalized treatment for each individual patient. A patient’s immune cells are collected, genetically reprogrammed to recognize and rid of the cancer, and infused back into the patient. This tailored approach keeps healthy cells alive in the patient, eliminates the need to find a match with traditional bone marrow transplants, and prevents side effects.

“The Combos For A Cure campaign continues to make a direct impact in our local communities as we fight together against cancer,” said Paul Soltwedel, president of the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation. “The Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation is proud to be partners with Cousins and looks forward to continuing our fight together. This program is a terrific example of community partnership with direct results.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately every three minutes a child is diagnosed with cancer, and the National Cancer Institute estimates that of those children diagnosed with cancer in the United States in 2017, 1,790 will not survive the disease.

Cousins and VLCF, both Wisconsin-based organizations, first teamed up to tackle cancer in September 2015 with the launch of Combos For A Cure. Through the tremendous support of the local community, Cousins has met its fundraising goal the last three consecutive years—leading to a total contribution of $150,000 for local research and compassionate care.

For more information about Combos For A Cure visit www.cousinssubs.com/foracure.

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ABOUT COUSINS SUBS

Wisconsin-based Cousins Subs®, a family-owned, fast casual sub shop established in 1972 by Bill Specht and his cousin, is driven by the mission to Believe in Better – both in the quality of food it serves and in the communities it supports. Cousins Subs and its franchisees operate more than 100 sub sandwich shops throughout Wisconsin and Arizona, providing guests with quality deli fresh and made to order grilled subs using only the freshest ingredients on its signature bread baked daily. For more information, visit www.cousinssubs.com. You can also find Cousins Subs on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

ABOUT MAKE IT BETTER FOUNDATION

Established in 2013 as an extension of Cousins Subs® mission to Believe in Better, the Make It Better Foundation is a nonprofit charitable organization that aims to improve the general welfare and quality of life in the communities Cousins Subs serves. The Foundation is dedicated to funding three areas of interest that are vital to any community: health and wellness, hunger and youth education. For more information on the Make It Better Foundation, visit www.cousinssubs.com/foundation.

ABOUT VINCE LOMBARDI CANCER FOUNDATION

The Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation was established in 1971, in memory of five-time National Football League championship Green Bay Packers Coach, Vince Lombardi. His spirit, enthusiasm and commitment to excellence touched countless lives, and on September 3, 1970, he lost a battle to colon cancer, dying at only 57. In his honor, the Foundation is committed to raising funds for advancements in cancer research and compassionate care. For more information on the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation, visit our new website: www.lombardifoundation.org.