Through November 6, Panera Bread bakery-cafes throughout central and southern Ohio will honor National Breast Cancer Awareness by offering a Pink Ribbon Bagel -- loaded with cherry chips and real bits of Bing cherries and cranberries. A portion of the proceeds from each Pink Ribbon Bagel sold will benefit the American Cancer Society. New to this year's campaign, Panera Bread is encouraging women to sign the "Pink Ribbon Bagel Pledge" -- committing to monthly self-breast exams and yearly mammograms.

On October 1, Panera Bread will host a Pink Ribbon Bagel campaign kickoff with the community, local dignitaries and Society representatives. The event will begin at 10:00 a.m. at the following Panera Bread locations: Bethel Road (Columbus), Calhoun Marketplace (Cincinnati) and Brown Street (Dayton). Anyone who takes the Pink Ribbon Bagel Pledge on October 1 will receive a free Pink Ribbon Bagel. For the remainder of the campaign, customers who sign the pledge will receive a coupon to save $1 at Panera Bread. The campaign's goal is to have over 9,000 pledge cards filled out -- one for each Ohio woman who will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year.

"Panera Bread's commitment to education and awareness through the Pink Ribbon Bagel Campaign is a tremendous asset in the battle to cure breast cancer," said Don McClure, Chief Executive Officer of the American Cancer Society, Ohio Division. "It is efforts like these that allow the Society to continue providing research, education, and support in the fight against cancer."

"Panera Bread is proud to join in the fight for a cure to this disease," said Jeff Rains, president of the central and southern Ohio Panera Bread bakery-cafes. "We invite everyone to encourage their family and friends to visit their local bakery-cafe, take the Pink Ribbon Bagel Pledge and support the fight for a cure."

Breads of the World, LLC, Panera Bread's local franchise, operates 47 bakery-cafes in the Columbus, Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky and Dayton-metro areas. For more information on the franchise, including the Pink Ribbon Bagel campaign and other community initiatives, visit .