Going Pink to Help Fight Cancer

OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL COORDINATOR

REGIONAL ASSISTANCE MISSION TO SOLOMON ISLANDS

MEDIA RELEASE Friday 3 October 2008

Going Pink to Help Fight Cancer

Business and the community are getting behind efforts to help fight cancer in Solomon Islands.

Members of the First Lady’s Charity Committee and the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands are busy working together to host the second annual Pink Ribbon Fundraising Dinner on Friday 24 October.

Traditionally, Pink Ribbon Day has helped to raise money for breast cancer research, but the Solomon Islands event will also include other forms of cancer affecting women.

Lady Alice Waena, wife of the Governor General Sir Nathaniel Waena, is the patron of the Charity.

“Breast and cervical cancer and cancer of the uterus are some of the biggest killers of our women in Solomon Islands so there is a lot of work to be done in this area.”

The First Lady’s Charity has started to look at how it could raise the funds to purchase expensive equipment needed for the basic diagnosis of such diseases Lady Waena said.

Money raised from ticket sales, a raffle and charity auction will go towards the First Lady’s Charity fund to fight cancer for women in Solomon Islands.

Last year, at the first ever Pink Ribbon Dinner, $169,755 was raised which was presented as a cheque to the Charity.

RAMSI Adviser Fatiaki Low from Community Relations team of RAMSI’s Participating Police Force says that as a result of the strong support from the business community, they were on track to increase the amount of money this year.

Mr Low said that he had been overwhelmed by the generous support he had received from organisations he had approached to assist the worthy cause.

“Some have bought dinner tickets for a corporate table while others have generously donated gifts, flights, holidays and other goods which will be converted into cash for charity during the raffle and auction,” Mr Low said.

The Commander of RAMSI’s Participating Police Force, Denis McDermott, said he was pleased that the Pink Ribbon Event had captured the imagination of Solomon Islands as an ongoing event to help raise money and awareness for women’s cancers.

“This is a chance for everyone to get together, have some fun and support a good cause,” the Commander said.

Lady Waena on behalf of the First Lady Charity Committee members thanked RAMSI for the effort and support in bringing about an event which will contribute to improving women’s health in Solomon Islands.

She also made a call to members of the community for support by being present on the dinner night either as members of business houses or as individuals to acknowledge the importance of women in society.

Mr Low encouraged people interested in purchasing tickets to be quick.

“All corporate tables have been sold, but individuals can still purchase tickets at the cost of $300 per head, or tables of ten,” said Mr Low.

ends

© Scoop Media