Cornerstone Alpaca Stud will host its first Pink Ribbon Breakfast on May 21. Photo / Supplied
Breast Cancer Foundation NZ is facing a 50 per cent drop in Pink Ribbon Breakfast registrations compared to last year due to Covid, and the charity is appealing for more support for the fundraising efforts.
One host can't wait to hold their first Pink Ribbon Breakfast on May 21. Cornerstone Alpaca Stud will have a breakfast buffet, an alpaca mini meet and feed, a raffle with spot prizes and a speaker from the Breast Cancer Foundation.
The Waikato alpaca farm's event co-ordinator Daleen Bredenkamp says they wanted to host a Pink Ribbon Breakfast last year, but Covid ruined their plans.
"I have a close family friend who was diagnosed with breast cancer, so this fundraiser is also very close to home," she says.
Cornerstone owner Sonja Blom is also well acquainted with the disease. "I have a couple of friends who unfortunately passed on. We all know somebody who has been diagnosed with breast cancer, so we would like to do something good."
Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in New Zealand women. Around 300 Waikato women are diagnosed with it every year.
In line with the Pink Ribbon Breakfast month, Breast Cancer Foundation NZ just launched a #GiveUsOurMammograms campaign. It calls on the Government to continue breast screening, after Covid-19 lockdowns put a halt to mammograms - and to commit $15 million to clear the screening backlog.
More than 50,000 women are currently overdue for their mammograms, which potentially leaves 300 cases of breast cancer undiagnosed and therefore untreated.
Without urgent action, the catch-up will be too late for many, the Foundation says.
To take part in #GiveUsOurMammograms, the Breast Cancer Foundation NZ asks people to take a photo of themselves holding the campaign poster and upload it to GiveUsOurMammograms.nz. The charity will deliver the photos to the Government.
During the Pink Ribbon Breakfast month, the foundation hopes to raise $2 million to go towards research, awareness and education programmes, and patient support services.
Anyone can host a Pink Ribbon Breakfast, anytime or anywhere during May. People can register their breakfast here. Registered hosts will receive a free kit with information and goodies, as well as the #GiveUsOurMammmograms poster.
Meanwhile, Foodstuffs and Griffin's have set a goal to raise $175,000 for the Breast Cancer Foundation through the sale of limited edition biscuits with pink icing.
Available throughout May, the feel-good treats are on shelves of New World, PAK'nSAVE and Four Square supermarkets, with $1 from every packet sold going towards the charity.
For more information about the Cornerstone Alpaca Pink Ribbon Breakfast and to book your tickets click here.