‘Pink Tribe’ comes out in force for Breast Cancer Ireland’s Very Pink Run
In recent weeks, the cities of Dublin, Kilkenny and Cork were awash with pink as an estimated 10.5k men, women and children including lots of well-known personalities ran, walked, scooted and shimmied their way around Breast Cancer Ireland’s Very Pink Run events which were sponsored by Very, (Ireland’s leading online retailer). This brings to an end this year’s series of Very Pink Run events, which has raised an estimated €600,000 in funds for Breast Cancer Ireland research and clinical trials.
The annual fundraising event has now seen almost 97,000 participants from over 40 countries take part since its inception over a decade ago, and a staggering €7.2m in total funds raised to date.
Aisling Hurley, CEO of Breast Cancer Ireland speaking at the recent live event in Cork said “This year’s live Very Pink Run events in Dublin, Kilkenny and Cork prove that this is THE most fun run – bar none!! The atmosphere in each location was electric, family-friendly and festival-like with musical entertainment, the Very Pink Support Squad out in force, and all in all a humbling and uplifting event for all members of our extensive breast cancer community. Every cent raised through the event will help fund life-saving clinical research and new trials – and our continued provision of good breast health and education and awareness programmes nationwide, with the ultimate goal of transforming this disease, into a treatable illness for ALL of those affected”.
The funds raised through the event this year will be channelled into two targeted areas by Breast Cancer Ireland, namely:
1) Continued investment into research into metastatic disease progression to the brain – through an international collaboration with the Ludwig Breast Research Centre at the University of Chicago, and the BCI funded Research Centre at the Royal College of Surgeons. This highly challenging, and sometimes fatal diagnosis, requires continuous high-level investment to help identify new ways of preventing metastasis where the initial tumour in the breast travels to major organs in the body, most notably the brain. New targeted drug therapies are helping when other major organs like the spine, bones, lung or liver are affected, but Breast Cancer Ireland is working tirelessly to try to identify ways to block cells invading the brain.
2) Driving progression and speed of scientific discovery from research settings into international clinical trials – through continued investment in this area, Breast Cancer Ireland is transforming new scientific discoveries in the laboratories into timely clinical trials so as to develop newer, more effective and personalised targeted treatments and therapies into the future – thus making breast cancer a treatable illness for ALL.
