Delta Day of Hope Events in 100 Airports Worldwide Raise Money to Fight Cancer

Airline employees committed to raising $2 million for American Cancer Society in 2017

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May 10, 2017, 09:00 ET

ATLANTA, May 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 100 airports around the globe today are celebrating the American Cancer Society's progress in fighting cancer and saving lives for the eighth annual Delta Day of Hope.

The event is modeled after the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life, during which communities walk together to honor cancer survivors, remember lost loved ones and support those still fighting the battle. Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) employees will host the Relay-inspired airport walks inside airport facilities Delta serves around the world including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Detroit, Madrid, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York, Rome, Rio de Janeiro, Los Angeles, Seattle and Tokyo.

"From employee-driven fundraisers to companywide initiatives, we're proud of the overwhelming support our employees give to this cause each year," said Gareth Joyce, Delta's Senior Vice President – Airport Customer Service & President – Cargo. "Whether you have personally battled cancer or you watched a friend or family member fight the disease, cancer touches everyone. That's why Delta employees and our customers are committed to donating more than $2 million to the American Cancer Society in 2017."

The airline kicked off its American Cancer Society events for the month last Friday, when thousands of Delta employees, customers and corporate partners participated in the Delta corporate Relay For Life event and the eighth annual Delta Jet Drag at its Technical Operations facility in Atlanta. The Jet Drag is an airplane-sized tug-of-war which more than 100 teams each raise $1,500 to pull a 167,000-pound aircraft 20 feet in the fastest time. The corporate Relay For Life is an all-day walk with a carnival atmosphere including fundraisers hosted by employee teams.

The events were held together for the first time this year, making for the airline's biggest American Cancer Society event yet in celebration of Delta's 15 years of partnership with the Society. Delta had a special surprise for attendees: saxophonist Kenny G, who had serenaded Delta customers on a flight in April after being inspired by Delta flight attendant Jane Mitchell, participated in the events. Mitchell's daughter was claimed by brain cancer and since then, she has been passionate about spreading awareness and being part of Delta's campaign.

"This is personal for me," said Mitchell, whose team has raised more than $120,000 in honor of her daughter. "I'm on a mission to raise as much as I can for research. That's a promise I made."

Throughout Delta's 15-year partnership with the American Cancer Society, the airline has donated more than $10 million to support the organization's life-saving initiatives, including medical research, education and patient programs.

Delta invites others to support the airline's fight against cancer and donate to the American Cancer Society: http://www.relayforlife.org/deltago.

About Delta
Delta Air Lines serves more than 180 million customers each year. In 2017, Delta was named to Fortune's top 50 Most Admired Companies in addition to being named the most admired airline for the sixth time in seven years. Additionally, Delta has ranked No.1 in the Business Travel News Annual Airline survey for an unprecedented six consecutive years. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 323 destinations in 59 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs more than 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 800 aircraft. The airline is a founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance and participates in the industry's leading transatlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia as well as a joint venture with Virgin Atlantic. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 15,000 daily flights, with key hubs and markets including Amsterdam, Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York-JFK and LaGuardia, London-Heathrow, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City, Seattle and Tokyo-Narita. Delta has invested billions of dollars in airport facilities, global products and services, and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Additional information is available on the Delta News Hub, as well as delta.com, Twitter @DeltaNewsHub, Google.com/+Delta, and Facebook.com/delta.