Holiday shopping takes a charitable turn with shopforcancercures.org, an online shopping network that raises money for the Georgetown University Medical Center’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center.All funds raised through the new Web site will be donated to the Cancer Research Alliance, which is made up of 12 cancer institutes, including the Lombardi Center.Shopforcancercures.org features over 600 online stores, such as Gap, Target and BestBuy. The Web site offers customers discounts and shipping deals. The online stores donate up to 25 percent of online profits to fund cancer research.”What’s interesting here is that not only [can consumers] feel good, but they can also save money and shop for great deals, so the potential is big,” said Robert Jones, director of client services at Mall Networks, an organization that provides shopping solutions with a network of online and in-store merchants.The Lombardi Center is one of 41 cancer centers in the nation that specializes in clinical research, patient care and training. The funds raised by the Web site will go toward the center’s research. Current research includes a drug discovery program and population-based studies in D.C.”We hope to reach out to millions of Americans to garner their support for cancer research. Through shopforcancercures.org individuals will be able to support our vital activities in cancer research at no additional cost to them,” Louis Weiner, director at the Lombardi Center, said.The center has participated in other fundraisers for cancer research in the past, including the “Infinite Power of One” campaign, which asked Americans to donate one dollar to the campaign, and the “Doo-Wop concert for Cancer,” where over 60 doo-wop performers took the stage to raise money. The Center will also be reintroducing its Lombardi Gala in 2009.”The 2008 holiday season is certainly the first substantial opportunity to raise money for cancer research via shopforcancercures.org,” Jones said. “But our hope is that donors visit the site year-round and utilize this opportunity to make a difference every time they shop online.”all Networks’ other fundraising Web sites include cybermonday.com, which raised over $400,000 for scholarships last year.The Web site provides links to participating online merchants, information on sales and deals as well as coupon codes for any special offers featured on the site. It also shows how much each store contributes to the Cancer Research Alliance.Each member of the Cancer Research Alliance is working to publicize the Web site in its own region through local news coverage and press releases. The Lombardi Center is sending e-blasts to students, staff and its donors and is featuring the Web site on its own homepage.”