SkyTower Pink For Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Sky Tower To Lead Global Illumination Campaign For Breast Cancer Awareness Month

SKYCITY Auckland will once again show its support for International Breast Cancer Awareness Month by being among the first of a number of world icons to be bathed in pink light.

Sky Tower's pink lighting this evening (and every evening from 1 - 14 October 2004) is part of the Global Landmark Illumination Campaign, which sees monuments in over 40 countries illuminated in pink light, to promote global awareness of breast cancer.

The New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation's Educator, Amanda Gray, says that there is increasing awareness about the disease, but with over 2000 women in New Zealand being diagnosed each year (over 44 new cases each week), the need for information to motivate women to look after themselves is as important as ever.

"Most families, workplaces and communities in New Zealand have been touched in some way by the disease. Although the majority of women diagnosed with breast cancer are between 50 - 70 years, it can hit anyone at any age.

The disease affects not only women (and around one percent of men), but also impacts on their partners, children, family and friends," she says.

For the third consecutive year, SKYCITY Auckland has challenged other New Zealand cities to join it in a national campaign, to light city icons pink to heighten the breast cancer awareness message in local communities. "As an ongoing supporter of The New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation, SKYCITY Auckland is pleased to once again be a part of the Global Illumination Landmark Campaign by lighting Sky Tower pink, something we have done every year since the idea was initiated by Estee Lauder in 2000," said Media Relations Manager for SKYCITY Entertainment Group, Delwyn Lewer.

This year the National Illumination Campaign will see Sky Tower being lit pink on Friday October 1st at dusk (around 7:00pm) followed by Gisborne's Clock Tower, the city lights in Rotorua's main square, SKYCITY Hamilton (and the Riverside Entertainment Centre) Wellington's Michael Fowler Centre, Dunedin's Cenotaph and the Water Tower in Invercargill.

As well as lighting Sky Tower pink at night in October, SKYCITY Entertainment Group will produce and distribute complimentary breast cancer awareness brochures to all female staff at its gaming and entertainment venues throughout New Zealand (at SKYCITY Auckland, SKYCITY Hamilton and SKYCITY Queenstown). Pink Ribbons will also be sold during the month at all SKYCITY Entertainment Group properties to help raise funds for the fight against breast cancer in New Zealand. The annual national Pink Ribbon Day Street Appeal will take place on Friday 8th October, with volunteers collecting donations for pink ribbons around the country.

SKYCITY has been proud to support the Foundation in its endeavours since 2000.

Other famous icons taking part in this year's Global Illumination Campaign from around the globe include the Empire State Building in New York; the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Arco di Constantino and the Ponte Vecchio in Italy; Niagara Falls in Ontario, Canada; Tokyo Tower, Tokyo, Japan; Table Mountain, Capetown, South Africa; Harrods department store, London; The Park Hyatt Hotel on Sydney Harbour, Australia; Vienna City Hall, Vienna, Austria; the Angel of Peace in Munich, Germany; L'Obelisque de Louxor in the Place de la Concorde, Paris, France; Seoul Nam-San Tower in Seoul, Korea; Monumento de la Madre and La Diana Cazadora in Mexico City, Mexico; Burj al Arab in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and the Marriot Royal Aurora Hotel in Moscow, Russia. Breast cancer is the biggest cause of cancer related deaths in New Zealand women - more women die from breast cancer every year than our nationwide road toll.

For further information on breast health and breast cancer, phone The New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation on TelstraClear toll free 0800 902 732, or visit the Foundation's website www.nzbcf.org.nz .

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