Pink Aid 2019 will "POP" with color, style and compassion

Pink Aid Long Island will be kicking off the Sixth Annual Celebration of Life Fashion Show on October 16, 2019 at Mitchells in Huntington. However, the excitement has already begun with the online auction at pinkaidli.givesmart.com. So even if you can't be at the event you can join the excitement. This year as in the past there are many beautiful and unique items that you will really pop over. And pop is key because this year’s theme is “Pop” that includes all the wild, colorful, freedom and extravagance of pop culture, fashion, art and style. And this year a very special category will feature NYC&G Magazine Designer Jean Jackets. These will be one-of-a-kind custom jackets by local designers and artists as well as such notables as: Isaac Mizrahi, Veronica Beard, John Robshaw and Alexis & Billy Joel.

The afternoon will begin with a professional runway show of Fashions by Mitchells. Later in the day our hearts and minds will be captivated during the emotionally lifting Celebration of Life Fashion Show featuring every day Long Island Champions. The 2019 class of strong and amazing Survivor Models will strut their beauty in Fashions by Mitchells.

This year’s guest speaker is Deb Placey who has been a member of the Pink Aid Board since 2012. A Co-Chair of Pink Aid’s annual luncheon in 2012 she often serves as the event’s on-stage presenter and auction host. Born in St. Louis, MO, Deb started her sports broadcasting career as a Production Associate for ESPN’s Sports Center in 1988. After anchoring sports in four local TV markets, she returned to ESPN as an on air announcer for two years, before ultimately moving to MSG Network in NYC. Over the course of 23 years she hosted game broadcasts for the NY Yankees, NY Mets, NY Knicks and the NHL’s Rangers, Islanders, & Devils, among others. She currently hosts a podcast for the NHL called “Executive Suite". An active equestrian, she is also on the Board of Governors at The Fairfield County Hunt Club in Westport, CT and has served on the Pink Aid Finance Committee & Committee Membership since 2015. A graduate of the University of Arizona, Deb lives in Southport, CT with her husband Ed, and daughters Madeline and Caroline.

The annual Pink Aid event theme changes each year and brings new excitement to the day, but the mission remains steady as the need continues to grow. Pink Aid helps underserved local women survive breast cancer treatment with support and dignity, provides screening to women in financial need, and empowers breast cancer survivors to heal by helping and inspiring others.
Pink Aid grants support programs that provide services including free breast cancer screening and helps to cover non-medical expenses such as food cards, household bills, wigs, recovery garments and transportation for patients undergoing treatment, to name a few.

Some of the programs Pink Aid supports are established hospital foundations and national non-profits, while others are smaller grass roots organizations. Large or small, they all share our united goal to help Long Island women survive breast cancer with dignity and compassion.
Pink Aid Long Island has now donated over $1.4 Million since 2014, and looking forward we hope that this year’s luncheon and online auction will again fund a robust new grant cycle. During 2018-2019, nineteen (19) Long Island grantees received from funding from your valuable contributions. And the Pink Purse program has made a powerful impact by offering emergency financial assistance directly to patients in need during diagnosis and treatment. Applications are available at PinkAid.org.

Until you face the beast that cancer is, it is hard to comprehend how financial fears can disrupt allowing renewed health to reign. Delivering hope and relief during some very dark and difficult times can be the catalyst a woman needs to gain a little bit more strength to keep fighting on. Pink Aid strives to reduce those fears and allow patients and their families to thrive toward a better tomorrow. Putting breast cancer in the past and living life looking ahead is one of life’s greatest gifts. A gift many of you have given generously to achieve.

We come together now for our sixth year to say, you are not alone, help is available and we understand because many of us have walked this path too. On the other side is a brilliant pink light that this year will illuminate the event with even more hope. Thanks to all of you this is now the Power of Pink!

So “Pop” onto the online auction that just kicked off today and will run through the event on October 16th and join the fun while making a difference in women’s lives pinkaidli.givesmart.com.