City of Hope has launched The Home Team as its employee initiative for this year’s Walk for Hope nationally presented by Staples in Los Angeles.

Formerly known as the Pink Carpet Club, The Home Team is a chance for City of Hope employees and their families and friends to band together to raise urgently needed funds to fight cancer. The Home Team will make its debut at Walk for Hope on City of Hope’s Duarte campus Nov. 7.

Walk for Hope raises funds to support the new Women’s Cancers Program, which encompasses efforts to fight breast cancer and gynecologic cancers such as ovarian, cervical and endometrial tumors. Each year, more than 274,000 women in the U.S. are diagnosed with these cancers.

“As members of the City of Hope family, employees know the importance of the work done here each day,” said Courtney Webb, assistant director of national events. “We hope staff members will join us and be advocates for all of our mothers, daughters, sisters and friends who have either won or lost their battle with these devastating diseases. Fundraising is essential to ending cancer, and every dollar counts.”

City of Hope employee Christy Grudzinski, who has participated in Walk for Hope for five years, said no gift is too small to make an impact. “One person can do a lot of things, but many people can do a whole lot more,” Grudzinski said. “Just like my pennies, when a whole bunch of them get together, they can really make a difference.”

For information and registration details, visit www.coh.org/the-home-team or http://nationalevents.cityofhope.org/goto/thehometeam or call 213-241-7322.