Thinking pink pays off for breast cancer research

Oct 25, 2005

Everyone knows that breakfast is the most important meal of the day...and never has this been more true than at the University of Wollongong this morning, when the annual Pink Ribbon Breakfast for Breast Cancer Research raised over $700, more than doubling the amount of previous years.

October is internationally recognised as Breast Cancer Month and Ms Holly Tootell, a Lecturer with the University of Wollongong's School of Information Technology and Computer Science (SITACS), hosted this year's breakfast to raise awareness about the importance of research and the need for vital funds.

Over 11,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in Australia and many others - partners, families, friends and work colleagues - are also directly affected by this disease.

The Pink Ribbon Breakfast is held each year to celebrate the progress so far in the search for a cure to the disease and to raise funds, awareness and support.

The $700 raised from the event will go to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, a non-profit organisation established in 1994 to promote and support vital research in all aspects of breast cancer.

To date, the Foundation has allocated over $12 million to a large number of breast cancer research projects across Australia into the treatment, prevention and detection of the disease.

Since the breakfast project was established in 2003 thousands of people across Australia including large corporations, community groups and individuals, have taken part and raised over half a million dollars. Organisers like Holly are hoping for a similar show of support this year.

"By simply buying a pink ribbon, you are being given the chance to make a difference in another woman's life," Holly said.

"It doesn't matter what age you are -- becoming familiar with your own breasts can assist in early detection and therefore give a greater chance of success with treatment."Local GP and Illawarra Coordinator of General Practitioners Registrar Training, Dr Saroja Gunasekera, delivered a presentation at the breakfast on the importance of regular breast examination.