A Boatload of Pink Ribbons

Think pink? It might be because it’s that time of year. Pink chocolate.  Pink bagels. Pink hair weaves. Pink sheets. Pink stilettos. And of course, a boatload of pink ribbons.

Many businesses in the area are in on the fight for the cure. And on the state level, there’s a lot going on in October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

At our state’s capitol, the fountains will flow pink thanks to the state’s First Lady Susan Corbett and the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition (PABCC). The color change started on Sept. 28.

“Almost all of us know someone whose life has been touched in some way by this disease,” said First Lady Susan Corbett, according to the PABCC. “My mother fought and won two rounds with breast cancer. She’s 92 now and still ready to fight. I’m proud to be her daughter.  With new treatments, research and a simple will to survive; we can all take on the challenge of reducing breast cancer deaths and someday put an end to this disease.”

Also in Pennsylvania, two thousand women’s basketball teams participate in the Pink Zone, including Penn State, whose team has raised more than $300,000 for the cause. The teams wear pink, encourage fans to wear pink, and collect money.

“The donation from Pink Zone (Penn State) enables our one-of-a-kind pink van, with the Lady Lion basketball logo as the sponsor, to travel around Pennsylvania as we work in every way possible to find a cure for breast cancer now so our daughters won’t have to,” said Pat Halprin-Murphy, president and founder of the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition.

Crozer-Keystone Health System turns on pink lights in all of their facilities and encourages all employees to wear pink on Oct. 3, in addition to a month full of breast cancer awareness events.

Land O’Lakes Purina Feed out of Pennsylvania put together 50 events aimed at educating women living in rural areas about breast cancer. They kicked off their Pink 50 with a Dash for Hope in Grantville, Pa., at the Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course.

Certain lines of animal food packages were turned pink for the season. “We wanted to put emphasis on women taking care of themselves,” said Anita Hood, equine specialist with the company.

On the national level, NASCAR wasn’t going to take a backseat to joining the cause. NASCAR painted a pace car pink and put a pink ribbon on it. They vowed to donate money for every lap the pace car had to take on the track. In September, one of the races was rained out and the laps of the pace car piled up.

And on Sunday afternoons in October, many National Football League players show their support. NFL games will feature players, coaches and referees wearing pink game apparel, on-field pink ribbon stencils, special game balls and pink coins - all to help raise awareness for this important campaign.

Hanes® has been a long-time partner with the National Breast Cancer Foundation and added a comfort package on Facebook this year. It’s a customizable kit including a T-shirt meant to be given as a gift. Hanes will give a portion of profits to the cause.

“Comfort is more than just physical; it’s emotional, too,” said Sidney Falken, chief branding officer of Hanes. “We are proud to be partners with NBCF (National Breast Cancer Foundation) to help raise awareness of breast cancer and support a cause the Hanes consumer cares so deeply about.”

Estée Lauder continues to give support to the cause. “Together we are stronger. Together we can do more. Together we can find a cure,” Evelyn Lauder has said.

Macy’s and Panera Bread also got in on the pink-ribbon action. Macy’s has chocolates and stuffed animals, and Panera is baking pink ribbon bagels during October, both to benefit breast cancer awareness.

“We are thrilled when a company decides to paint its building pink or when they allow women to take time off work for a mammogram or encourage them to get more information about breast cancer,” said Terry Music, chief mission delivery officer for the American Cancer Society.

“I want women to know the facts so we can end this once and for all,” she said. Music lost her mother to breast cancer and said early detection may have saved her.