The Pink Bridge

 

 

  

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

A Pink Link

Last year Federation President, Ann Dawson, had an idea of creating a 'pink link' across the Millennium Bridge during the 72nd annual Conference at The Sage in Gateshead. She had envisaged that a few hundred women would participate in this event, to raise awareness of the Breast Cancer Campaign during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The reality was very different; almost 1,500 women, dressed in pink, crammed onto the bridge. Many were wearing outrageous costumes and headgear; all were enthusiastic and, as they stood for over half an hour across the bridge, for the TV cameras, they made an incredible sight.

News of the event went across the nation, and internationally. Below are two of the reports.

From the BBC:

Cancer campaign turns bridge pink

The River Tyne's Millennium Bridge turned pink when more than 1,000 women formed a human link to highlight a breast cancer campaign.

Members of Soroptimist International donned pink tops as part of their annual conference in Gateshead.

The organisation is supporting the charity Breast Cancer Campaign, which is hoping to raise £2m.

Soroptimist International president Ann Dawson said it was her dream to create a "pink link" across the bridge.

She said: "I saw the bridge last year and my dream was to have a pink link to support victims of breast cancer and their families.

"Awareness is paying off because survival rates beyond five years are improving, probably due to increased breast awareness, screening and improved treatment.

Wearing pink

"Indeed about 172,000 women in the UK who have been diagnosed with breast cancer in the past 10 years are still alive."

Breast Cancer Campaign's Wear it Pink day hopes to raise £2m for ongoing research.

Chief executive Pamela Goldberg said: "It's incredible to have all these woman raising awareness of breast cancer.

"We are encouraging everyone to wear a bit of pink and raise awareness."

Soroptimist International is a worldwide organisation for women in management and the professions.

The word Soroptimist comes from the Latin words soror meaning sister and optima meaning best and loosely translates as "best for women".

The organisation was founded in 1921, when 80 women formed the first Soroptimist club in Oakland, California.

Membership now stands at almost 95,000 women across the world.

And from the Daily Mail:

Around 1,500 women turned a bridge pink today to raise awareness of breast cancer.

The businesswomen - all wearing pink - crammed on to the Gateshead Millennium Bridge, which spans the River Tyne. The footbridge has been dubbed the "blinking eye bridge" because it is the world's first and only tilting bridge and attracts visitors from all over the world.

The women had travelled to Tyneside from across the world to attend the Soroptimist International of Great Britain and Ireland's annual conference, which is being held at The Sage Gateshead.


For more information on the Breast Cancer Campaign visit their website