Seattle (November 4, 2007) – To kick-start the holiday shopping season, Juanita Garrison will co-host an evening of shopping tonight at Chico's clothier in effort to raise money for Pacific Northwest Research Institute (PNRI, now PNDRI), a world renowned diabetes research center located in Seattle that her father-the late U.S. Senator Warren G. Magnuson-helped to found in 1956.

"I recall Time Magazine once describing father as one of the most powerful men in the country, if not the world, when he represented Washington State in the Senate. Yet, diabetes ravaged him like anyone else. More than 20.8 million families in the USA currently live with the disease. As a Trustee of PNRI, it is my pleasure to honor father by supporting PNRI to better predict, treat and, ultimately, prevent diabetes," said Ms. Garrison.

The fundraiser will take place Sunday, November 4, 2007 at Chico's clothier in the University Village shopping district from 6:00-9:00PM. Chico's is a specialty retailer of private branded, sophisticated, casual-to-dressy clothing, intimates, complementary accessories, and other non-clothing gift items.

Ten percent of all sales will directly benefit diabetes research at PNRI, which recently convened in Seattle more than 100 of the world's diabetes experts at the Warren G. Magnuson Congress for a Global Diabetes Alliance. The forming alliance is dedicated to taking a leadership role in tackling the "growing 'tsunami' of diabetes" that, if left unchecked, will have devastating global consequences – social and economic – within the next few decades when one out of every three persons globally will be at risk to develop diabetes

"Science remains our strongest ally in preventing and curing diabetes. Please invite your friends and encourage them to invite their friends to Chico's this Sunday, November 4-we are hoping for a great turn-out!" added Ms. Garrison.

About Senator Warren G. Magnuson: Senator Magnuson represented Washington State in the U.S. Senate longer than any one else in history (36 years). Throughout his tenure, Senator Magnuson showed courage and commitment to innovative health policy. Shortly after introducing the National Cancer Institute bill in the House, Senator Magnuson sponsored legislation in 1948 that created a National Health Institute. This formed the core of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the world's largest consortium of medical research facilities that would not have been established without the millions in federal appropriations Senator Magnuson later secured as seed money. At the urging of physician William Hutchinson, Sr., Senator Magnuson also helped to establish the Pacific Northwest Research Institute (formally known as the Pacific Northwest Research Foundation) from which was born the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

About Pacific Northwest Research Institute (PNRI): PNRI is a 50 year-old independent non-profit biomedical and clinical research center located in Seattle and founded by Dr. William Hutchinson, Sr., who also founded the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. The mission of PNRI is to support and conduct basic and clinical studies that lead to the prevention and cure of diabetes and its complications. PNRI's acclaimed team of 100 doctors and researchers is committed to applying scientific discoveries to the real improvement of health for people and families living with diabetes. For more information on PNRI and the Warren G. Magnuson Congress for a Global Diabetes Alliance, please visit www.pnri.org.