PINK POWER IN THE PARKS FOR BREAST CANCER IRELAND

It is expected that almost 10,000 men, women and children will take part in the ninth annual Great Pink Run with Glanbia raising over €600,000 to support Breast Cancer Ireland’s metastatic research programmes and their education and awareness initiatives nationwide.

Dublin’s Phoenix Park will turn pink tomorrow, Saturday, October 19, and then the following day, Sunday, October 20. The pink movement will next travel to Kilkenny Castle Park where the event will be supported by Aut Even Hospital. This emotive series kicked off on Saturday, October 5, in Chicago’s Diversey Harbor when sporting legend and Great Pink Run Patron, Sonia O’Sullivan, led out the inaugural Chicago run.

Virgin Media broadcaster and Breast Cancer Ireland Ambassador, Elaine Crowley, will lead out the Dublin run along with social media and TV personality James Patrice, his mother Veronica Butler, Fair City actor Dave O’Sullivan and former international rugby player and pundit Shane Byrne. Kilkenny Hurling Manager Brian Cody, dietitian and TV personality Aoife Hearne and Newstalk Breakfast’s Kieran Cuddihy will lead out the Kilkenny run. They will be joined by thousands of women and their families who have been impacted by the disease. All three locations feature a 10k challenge as well as a 5K fun run with live DJ, motivational music and face-painting. Participants will be encouraged to “pink it up” in support of those impacted by breast cancer.

Commenting on year nine of the Great Pink Run, Breast Cancer Ireland CEO Aisling Hurley says, “We are delighted with the success of the Great Pink Run series. They have raised over €2m to fund pioneering research and awareness programmes that are certainly changing the landscape of this disease into the future.”

Between 30%-50% of all cancer cases are preventable, according to the World Health Organisation, which claims that regular physical activity and the maintenance of healthy body weight, along with healthy diet, can considerably reduce cancer risk.

Michael Patten, Group HR and Corporate Affairs Director of Glanbia plc., comments, “Good nutrition and fitness are widely recognised as helping to protect against cancer and support overall health and wellbeing. Once again, we are very proud to be involved with this fantastic event that supports the pioneering research work of Breast Cancer Ireland. Many of our employees and their families have been taking part in the events in Chicago, Dublin and Kilkenny, and we are looking forward to continuing this association into the future.”

Margaret Swords, CEO of Aut Even Hospital, Kilkenny, adds, “This cause is so close to home for everybody with so many thousands hit directly or indirectly by a breast cancer diagnosis. Aut Even is proud to be associated with the event once more and to run with the people of Kilkenny this Sunday.”

Breast Cancer Ireland aims to transform the landscape of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment through ongoing pioneering research that will ultimately transform this disease from often being fatal into a long-term treatable illness.

Registrations for Kilkenny are now closed. There are a small number of places left for the Phoenix Park at www.greatpinkrun.ie

(Rugby fans need not fear! There will be a big screen in the Phoenix Park where the Ireland vs New Zealand Quarter Final Game can be viewed from 11.15am.

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