Early detection saves lives… This is the message that those involved in the fight against breast cancer want to drill into the minds of women and men (yes, men can get it too) around the globe. Getting regular screenings, taking preventative measures, eating well and living a healthy lifestyle are also key to combatting the dreaded disease. As supporters the world over join to celebrate October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Atlantis’ Public Relations Department, on Friday, October 4th, launched its second annual “Wear Pink Fridays” effort to help spread the word about breast cancer and its effects.
“This initiative is very near and dear to so many of us and we just really want to do what we can to help educate our counterparts – all 7,900 of them if possible – that breast cancer is no joke,” said PR Director Katie Longley, “so for the second straight year we joined with team members from Desktop Publishing, Sales & Marketing, Entertainment, the Mail Room and the Purchasing Department, as well as representatives from the local arm of the Sister Sister Breast Cancer support group, to put on our pink shirts and act as ‘awareness ambassadors,’ handing out ribbons and sharing valuable information just outside the Stars Cafeteria to any and all who will listen.”
In The Bahamas, the need to bring awareness and get that message out that early detection does indeed save lives is at an all-time high as recent research indicates that breast cancer affects Bahamian women more than any other nationality in the world. That research suggests that aggressive strains of inherited breast cancer appear in Bahamian women at an unusually early age, and while just 12 per cent of American women under the age of 44 are diagnosed, a staggering 34 per cent of Bahamian women that same age or younger are tagged with the disease. And although breast cancer is much more common in women, men can get it too, often unknowingly missing symptoms, relying only on checkups, colonoscopies and other tests.
Friday’s launch saw some 500 team members pinned with pink ribbons and updated on the effects of breast cancer and what they can do to possibly prevent it.
“This year we saw a surprising improvement in the number of our male counterparts who were generally interested in knowing more about breast cancer, but we realize that education on the subject is lacking and so we have to stick to the task and continue to spread the word,” said Longley.
Ever supportive of his team’s efforts, SVP of Public Affairs Ed Fields once again gave kudos to the team for hosting another successful launch for what he called a ‘very worthy cause.’ “The time and dedication and just honest to goodness thought that these wonderful and talented bunch of individuals continue to put into this effort… every time I think about it, it just makes me so very proud of them and I have to encourage them and to support them in this initiative to get the word out.”
The team will don pink every Friday in this month of October to continue to show support for the fight.
