In the freezing wind and rain, the team donned their pink

Hugh Crawford, account manager for Anon New Zealand in Dannevirke, out in the rain and wind on Dannevirke's High St last Friday, collecting for Pink Ribbon Day. Photo / Christine McKay

Freezing rain and wind in Dannevirke last Friday wasn't going to put a dampener on the spirits of Anon Dannevirke staff as they collected for Pink Ribbon Day.

Collecting for the annual Breast Cancer Foundation appeal, Kate Holdem, Hugh Crawford and Ann Shore attracted plenty of attention from motorists and shoppers and were thrilled with the response to the collection.

"We were keen to be involved again this year and it proved once again what a terrific and generous community we live in," Crawford said.

"On a personal level, I saw many sufferers of breast cancer in the Oncology Ward at Waikato Hospital during my own cancer treatment in 2015 and 2016. The message is loud and clear. Get regular checks - your family, friends and community don't want to lose you."

This year, about 300 New Zealanders will be told they have advanced breast cancer (ABC) – also called secondary, or stage four, or metastatic breast cancer - breast cancer which has spread to another part of the body and is incurable.

Most of those 300 people – mainly women, but also a few men – will do everything in their power to stay alive, to stay with their families for as long as possible.

In September the Breast Cancer Foundation published I'm Still Here, detailing how New Zealanders with ABC die faster than people in other countries.

In the MidCentral District Health Board area donations help fund free one-on-one counselling for anyone with breast cancer, PINC individual physio sessions to assist with recovery after surgery – up to four free sessions (eligibility criteria apply) in Palmerston North, bio-impedence machines for Palmerston North hospital to assist in the early detection of lymphoedema and the NZBCF pink caravan, and breast nurses provide free consultations in Palmerston North and Levin.