Whangārei in the pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Whangārei's Te Matau a Pohe Bridge and the city's Canopy Bridge will light up in pink from tomorrow to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Every year around 170 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in Northland and 25 die from the disease.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and to mark the occasion, Whangārei landmarks will join others nationwide to light up in pink for the Global Illumination campaign in support of Breast Cancer Foundation NZ's Pink Ribbon Street Appeal.

Te Matua ā Pohe and the Victoria Canopy Bridge will be part of the campaign, where sculptures and landmarks in 140 countries around the world promote global awareness of breast cancer.

Breast Cancer Foundation NZ said in the Northland region, each year around 170 women are diagnosed with breast cancer, and sadly every year around 25 will die of the disease.

The Global Illumination campaign runs for the entire month of October and ends with Breast Cancer Foundation NZ's major fundraising event, Pink Ribbon Street Appeal, which takes place on October 30 and 31.

Money raised through the appeal and other October fundraising events around the country will fund research into new targeted treatments, life-saving awareness initiatives, education programmes, and support New Zealanders going through breast cancer.

"It is fantastic to see Whangārei join so many other towns and cities across New Zealand lighting up pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

"It's such a powerful visual reminder that nine Kiwi women are diagnosed with breast cancer every day – it's still the most common cancer for women in our country,'' Evangelia Henderson, chief executive of Breast Cancer Foundation NZ, said.

''We hope New Zealanders will get behind this cause and donate generously to our appeal, so that we can continue our crucial work to see zero deaths from breast cancer become a reality."

For more details about Breast Cancer Awareness Month, or to volunteer to be a Pink Ribbon Street Appeal collector for a couple of hours, go to www.breastcancerfoundation.org.nz