Bayer USA Foundation Announces $100,000 Donation to The Wellness Community

Corporate Social Responsibility Press Release

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9.02.2008 - 09:49am ET

Bayer USA Foundation Announces $100,000 Donation to The Wellness Community

(CSRwire) PITTSBURGH,PA. - September 2, 2008 - The Bayer USA Foundation announced today that it has made a $100,000 donation to The Wellness Community (TWC), headquartered in Washington, D.C., in support of the launch of The Wellness Community's Cancer Survivorship Research & Training Institute. Opening in 2009 in Philadelphia, the Research & Training Institute will be the first community-based cancer center in the United States dedicated to psychosocial, behavioral and survivorship research and training in cancer.

The Research & Training Institute will provide groundbreaking research to increase understanding of the needs of cancer patients and their caregivers with the goal of creating an integrated system of psychological and social support programs across the cancer community. Its research will focus on the critical role of social and emotional support for those living with cancer and the distinctive needs of survivors and caregivers throughout each phase of the cancer experience and post-treatment.

Further, the Research & Training Institute will sponsor patient and caregiver forums, host retreats and direct state-of-the-art training programs for health care professionals. It will provide a seamless flow of findings into program delivery and offer the most progressive psychosocial training for TWC's staff and other health care professionals in oncology.

"The Bayer USA Foundation is pleased to support this important undertaking by The Wellness Community and to contribute to its campaign for the Research & Training Institute," said Dr. Attila Molnar, President and CEO, Bayer Corporation, and President, Bayer USA Foundation. "Its activities align with Bayer’s objective to provide support directly to cancer patients and their caregivers.'

Today there are more than 12 million cancer survivors in the U.S. and close to 1.5 million new cases will be diagnosed this year. Research has shown that 25 to 30 percent of cancer patients experience elevated levels of emotional distress while as many as 47 percent receive a psychiatric diagnosis. As a result, there is a growing need to link patients and families to a broad range of psychosocial resources that will help them face the psychological, social, spiritual and physical aspects of cancer. Because the majority of cancer patients are treated in communities at local hospitals and oncology practices, the Research & Training Institute will work directly with survivors and caregivers in the communities where they live.

About The Wellness Community

Founded in 1982, The Wellness Community is an international non-profit organization dedicated to providing free support, education and hope to people with cancer and their loved ones. Through participation in professionally-led support groups, educational workshops, nutrition and exercise programs, and stress-reduction classes, people affected by cancer learn vital skills that enable them to regain control, reduce isolation and restore hope regardless of the stage of their disease. The Wellness Community provides such programs, free of charge at more than 100 locations worldwide including 24 U.S.-based and 2 international centers with 73 satellite and off-site programs and online at www.thewellnesscommunity.org.

About Bayer USA Foundation

The Bayer USA Foundation is an endowed 501(c)(3) entity and is the primary source of Bayer Corporation’s philanthropy in the United States. With a programmatic focus on the environment and sustainability; education and workforce development; arts and culture; and health and human services, the foundation creates and supports organizations that improve communities in which Bayer employees live and work, as well as society at large. The Bayer USA Foundation is one of three Bayer foundations worldwide, including the Bayer Science & Education Foundation and the Bayer Cares Foundation.

About Bayer Corporation

Bayer Corporation, headquartered in Pittsburgh, is a subsidiary of Bayer AG, an international health care, nutrition and high-tech materials group based in Leverkusen, Germany. In North America, Bayer had 2007 net sales of 8.1 billion euros and employed 16,800 at year end. Bayer's three subgroups, Bayer HealthCare, Bayer CropScience and Bayer MaterialScience, improve people’s lives through a broad range of essential products that help diagnose, prevent and treat diseases; protect crops and enhance yields; and advance automobile safety and durability.

Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in our annual and interim reports filed with the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.