Pink Ribbon Walk Movement ‘Paints it Pink’ by raising an amazing One Million Euro for Irish Cancer Society

Breast cancer survivor Majella O'Donnell joined Pink Ribbon Walk Chairperson Penny McGowan today to celebrate raising One Million Euro to benefit the Irish Cancer Society’s Action Breast Cancer Programme.

To date, over 10,000 people have walked 1,500 kilometres in 15 Pink Ribbon Walks in four different regions to raise One Million Euro in sponsorship money for the Irish Cancer Society.

Since its inception in Kells in County Meath in 2009 by a group of local women, the Pink Ribbon Walk has turned in to a national movement. Six Walks have taken place in Kells, Killaloe in County Clare has held Five Annual Walks, there have been three Walks to date in Kinsale in Cork and a first Walk took place in Kenmare in Co. Kerry in May this year. All of the Walks will take place again in 2015 and the overall aim is to keep growing and adding more events and regions to the calendar. Each Walk is organised by an entirely voluntary team of local women. If you are interested in organising a Walk in your region, then please contact the Pink Ribbon Team via www.pinkribbonwalk.ie

Penny McGowan, Chairperson of the Pink Ribbbon Walk said “The Million Euro was raised through the dedication and commitment of our many amazing volunteers and the thousands of Walkers and Runners who have worked so hard to raise funds and to support all those people that have been touched by Breast Cancer. Our vision is of a Pink Ribbon Walk in every region in Ireland. It is all about communities, friends, families and individuals walking together in solidarity and remembrance… walking for a future without Breast Cancer.”

The communities in all four towns have taken the Pink Ribbon Walks to heart, with local shops and businesses dressing their windows and turning in to a sea of pink in the run-up to the events. Over the years, many of the participants have had imaginative ideas for fundraising and have held everything from coffee mornings to online auctions to 1980s Discos to help raise the Million Euro.

The overall aim of the Pink Ribbon Walks is to raise funds for Action Breast Cancer, a programme of the Irish Cancer Society that reaches over 25,000 women a year. The money raised has helped and will help the Society to fund a range of vital services, including the Society’s Collaborative Cancer Research Centre BREAST-PREDICT, the National Cancer Helpline Freefone 1800 200 700, breast cancer information literature, night nursing service, financial aid, a free transport service called Care to Drive and many other essential support services.

John McCormack, CEO of the Irish Cancer Society said: “The Pink Ribbon Walks have supported the Irish Cancer Society’s free breast cancer services and research since 2009 and to date they have raised a phenomenal €1 million for the Society. We are extremely grateful to the committees involved and to all the thousands of women who have put on their runners and walked for the Society. One in ten Irish women will be diagnosed with breast cancer – with the support of Pink Ribbon Walks, we can ensure that no woman has to embark on her breast cancer journey alone.”

To celebrate the Pink Ribbon Walk fundraising efforts reaching the One Million Euro mark, the Pink Ribbon Walks and the Irish Cancer Society have planned a number of events over the coming week, including a live online Q&A Session with a Specialist Breast Cancer Nurse from 3pm to 4pm on Wednesday October 29th on its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/IrishCancerSociety.

Keep an eye too on www.pinkribbonwalk.ie for a series of new blog posts from cancer survivors and some practical advice on reducing your risk of breast cancer and to view a Pink Ribbon Walk video to mark this fantastic achievement. You can also sign up to find out more information about the 2015 Walks and dates and become part of the Pink Ribbon Walk movement.