Go Pink with TELUS to bring digital mammography to Alberta Cancer Foundation

Give the gift of health to women in your community with the purchase of a pink BlackBerry smartphone only from TELUS

CALGARY, May 10 /CNW/ - TELUS and the Alberta Cancer Foundation today announced the launch of a milestone campaign to make a 'pink' difference and bring digital mammography to Alberta. Between May 6 and October 31, 2010, TELUS will donate $25 to Alberta Cancer Foundation for each purchase of a pink BlackBerry Curve 8530 or the upcoming pink BlackBerry Pearl 3G smartphone available only at TELUS. Digital mammography will enhance early detection of breast cancer for women and men in Alberta.

Traditional mammogram X-rays do not penetrate dense breast tissue, making it more difficult to interpret results and detect tumours. Digital mammography equipment produces more accurate results with advanced capabilities to generate magnified images of breast tissue to help with the early detection of breast cancer. Access to this advanced digital equipment is limited. This campaign will help to bring vital equipment to Alberta Cancer Foundation and increase the chance of survival from this life-threatening disease.

The TELUS "Go Pink" campaign will fund tangible social outcomes that women and men will benefit from immediately. The coast-to-coast campaign is benefiting communities by funding innovative breast cancer technology in healthcare facilities across Canada, including: BC Women's Hospital & Health Centre Foundation, Alberta Cancer Foundation, Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, CancerCare Manitoba, Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation in Toronto, The Ottawa Hospital Foundation, Segal Cancer Center at the Montreal Jewish General Hospital and QEII Health Sciences Centre in Halifax.

"As a Canadian technology leader and a committed corporate citizen, TELUS recognizes the need to bring the latest technology to local healthcare providers in an effort to help with the early detection of breast cancer," said Jill Schnarr, vice-president, TELUS Community Investment. "As a woman and mother, I am so grateful that our TELUS team and our customers have an opportunity to give back in a meaningful way to help with the purchase of new digital mammography machines in our communities."

"Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in Canadian women. One in nine Canadian women are expected to develop breast cancer in their lifetime and early detection is crucial to saving lives" said Linda Mickelson, CEO of the Alberta Cancer Foundation. "This campaign will help us complete our $11 million commitment for digital mammography equipment and mobile facilities which reach 25,000 Alberta women annually in 100 rural communities. TELUS is giving a boost to the efforts of thousands of Albertans who participated in the Weekend to end Breast Cancer by finishing what they began. Through this program, TELUS is literally saving lives."

TELUS has a proud history of supporting breast cancer research, awareness and detection through its support of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation's TELUS Tours for the Cure, the Rethink Breast Cancer fundraising campaign, and donating $1 to the BC Cancer Foundation and Alberta Cancer Foundation for every long distance call made by TELUS landline customers on Mother's Day.

The BlackBerry Curve 8530 smartphone, for $49.99 on a three-year plan, and the BlackBerry Pearl 3G smartphone, coming soon for $29.99 on a three-year plan, are only available in pink from TELUS. For more information about the TELUS Go Pink campaign, please visit www.telus.com/pink.

About Alberta Cancer Foundation

The Alberta Cancer Foundation is Alberta's own, established to advance cancer research province-wide and directly support Alberta's 17 cancer centres, including the Cross Cancer Institute and Tom Baker Cancer Centre.

The Alberta Cancer Foundation is headquarters for Alberta's movement for cancer-free lives and works with tens of thousands of Albertans to deliver on one promise-progress.

About TELUS

TELUS (TSX: T, T.A; NYSE: TU) is a leading national telecommunications company in Canada, with $9.6 billion of annual revenue and 11.9 million customer connections including 6.6 million wireless subscribers, 3.9 million wireline network access lines and 1.2 million Internet subscribers and 200,000 TELUS TV customers. Led since 2000 by President and CEO, Darren Entwistle, TELUS provides a wide range of communications products and services including data, Internet protocol (IP), voice, entertainment and video.

In support of our philosophy to give where we live, TELUS, our team members and retirees have contributed $158 million to charitable and not-for-profit organizations and volunteered 3.1 million hours of service to local communities since 2000. Nine TELUS Community Boards across Canada lead TELUS' local philanthropic initiatives. TELUS was honoured to be named the most outstanding philanthropic corporation globally for 2010 by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, becoming the first Canadian company to receive this prestigious international recognition.

For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com.

For further information: Phoebe Dey, Alberta Cancer Foundation Media Relations, [phone], [email protected]; Chris Gerritsen, TELUS Media Relations, [phone], [email protected]