Jersey Mike’s Subs in Chicagoland Area Host Fundraiser June 6 To Benefit the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation
CHICAGO – On June 6, 2011, all Jersey Mike’s Subs locations in the Chicagoland area will participate in a fundraiser for the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF). The restaurant chain has made a coupon available for the day and anyone presenting the coupon to a participating Jersey Mike’s location on June 6th, will have 20% of their purchase donated to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation. Customers can choose from any item on the Jersey Mike’s menu, including authentic East Coast-style subs that are made with the highest quality meats, cheeses, and fresh baked bread. The coupon can be downloaded at www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org/jerseymikes and the individual Facebook pages for the participating stores. The coupon provides addresses of all 20 participating stores and must be presented at the time of purchase.
Kathy Petrak of Plainfield, whose father suffered from pulmonary fibrosis, helped organize the partnership between Jersey Mike’s and the PFF. Kathy and her father shared a love of Jersey Mike’s Subs and frequently dined at the restaurant in North Carolina where Kathy’s father lived. While her father was in the hospital fighting this devastating lung disease, before he passed away in March 2009, Kathy would deliver Jersey Mike’s Subs to his room for them to enjoy together.
Since losing her father, Kathy has become a strong advocate for pulmonary fibrosis awareness and has created fundraising events to not only honor the memory of her father, but to fight the disease that robbed him of his life. “We feel strongly that we must educate our community in order to find a cure for this ugly disease,” said Kathy.
Recently, Kathy approached Mark Cross, her local Jersey Mike’s storeowner, to help her create a fundraiser in memory of her father to benefit the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation. Mark agreed and graciously recruited all 20 Chicagoland Jersey Mike’s locations to participate as well.
“Jersey Mike’s is not only dedicated to customer service, but also dedicated to giving back,” said Mark. “We are honored to have the opportunity to participate in this fundraiser, as Kathy and her father were not only loyal customers, they were part of the Jersey Mike’s family.”
All proceeds from the Jersey Mike’s fundraiser will go to support the PFF and their mission to help find a cure and support those affected by the disease. The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation would like to thank both Jersey Mike’s Subs and Kathy Petrak for their time and generosity.
“We are thankful to supporters like Kathy Petrak and Jersey Mike’s Subs for not only their fundraising efforts, but also for their help in raising awareness for the disease,” said PFF Chief Operating Officer Patti Tuomey.
The Jersey Mike’s fundraiser is the second event organized by Kathy Petrak. Last year Kathy organized a pulmonary fibrosis awareness night during a Chicago White Sox baseball game. Over 50 pulmonary fibrosis patients and family members were in attendance at the game.
Participating Jersey Mike’s locations are in Aurora, Chicago, Crystal Lake, Elmhurst, Geneva, Glenview, Gurnee, Lake in the Hills, Lisle, Lombard, Mount Prospect, Naperville, Niles, Plainfield, Schaumburg (2), St. Charles, Tinley Park, Vernon Hills, and Wheaton.
About Jersey Mike’s Subs
Jersey Mike’s, a sub sandwich franchise with more than 500 stores open and under development nationwide, has a long history of community involvement and support. Started at the Jersey Shore in 1956, Jersey Mike’s serves authentic East Coast-style subs on fresh baked bread – the same recipe it started with over 50 years ago. The company’s mission is to bring its customers the highest quality, freshest made sub in the industry and give back to the communities in which it operates. A store locator and franchise information for Jersey Mike’s can be found at www.jerseymikes.com.
About the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation
The mission of the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation is to help find a cure for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), advocate for the pulmonary fibrosis community both locally and in Washington, D.C., promote disease awareness, and provide a compassionate environment for patients and their families. The PFF collaborates with physicians, organizations, patients, and caregivers worldwide. From December 1-3, 2011 the PFF will host the first international scientific conference, IPF Summit 2011: From Bench to Bedside, in Chicago. For more information visit www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org or call 888-733-6741.
About Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
According to the National Institutes for Health, IPF is a condition in which over a period of time the lung tissue becomes thickened, stiff, and scarred. The development of the scar tissue is called fibrosis. As the lung tissue becomes scarred and thicker, the lungs lose their ability to transfer oxygen into the bloodstream. As a result, the brain and other organs don't receive the oxygen they need. In some cases, doctors can determine the cause of the fibrosis, but in most cases, there is not a known cause. When there is no known etiology for the fibrosis (and certain pathologic criteria are met) the disease is called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis or IPF. IPF affects approximately 200,000 individuals in the US, and the annual mortality is estimated to be 40,000. At present there are no FDA approved medical therapies.
