There's only one colour in fashion today, and it's in a good cause.
Thanks to months of planning by organisers Susan Fitzgerald, Kim Lovett and Andrea Simper, more than 6000 volunteers will be out on the nation's pavements and street corners as part of the Breast Cancer Foundation's
annual pink ribbon appeal.
Pink ribbons, balloons, wristbands, sashes, hats and wigs will help get the donations rolling in.
Some volunteers will spend a whole day collecting; others will take a few hours or their lunchbreak to help out.
And others, too, will fundraise in their offices through bake sales and collections. A national event like this needs to run like a military operation. And the command centre for the whole country is on the 30th floor of the ASB Building in Auckland's CBD.
The three street appeal co-ordinators began planning six months ago, and have been working seven days a week for the past fortnight.
The ribbons, wristbands and other paraphernalia must get to the various area volunteer co-ordinators early, so they can distribute it on to their team of volunteer collectors. In the Auckland CBD alone, Ms Simper looks after a team of 200 women and men.
A few animals get roped in too.
"Where do you want to put the llama?" is one logistical question Ms Fitzgerald had to sort out in the months leading up to the big day.
The appeal, which raised around $650,000 last year, goes towards raising funds for the foundation to continue providing medical grants and scholarships, and education campaigns.
While the survival rate for breast cancer patients has markedly improved with better treatments and increased awareness, it remains the biggest cancer killer of women, with more than 600 dying each year.
