Kawana Shoppingworld hosts walk for Pinktober
Wed 12 November 2008
Lana Stewart, Journalism
Hundreds of people gathered at Kawana Shoppingworld in October 2008 to participate in the Sunshine Coast’s first Pinktober charity walk as part of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Pinktober was started in 2007, in partnership with Kawana Shoppingworld, as a month long campaign aimed at raising funds and awareness for the Cindy Mackenzie Breast Cancer Foundation (CMBCF).
The CMBCF is a not-for-profit organisation that offers practical support to families coping with the financial and emotional costs of cancer.
The Pinktober 5km charity walk took place on Sunday October 5 2008 a
nd raised much-needed funds for the organisation.
Participants started at Kawana Shoppingworld at 9.15am and walked to Point Cartwright, passing Cindy’s memorial chair, and returned about 10.30am.
Afterwards everyone was invited to take part in several fun festivities including competitions and a sausage sizzle.
BI-LO Kawana was one of the main contributors to Pinktober and played a key role during the month long campaign.
Employees wore bright pink shirts and eagerly participated in raising funds and awareness about breast cancer on the Sunshine Coast.
The store also supplied bread, sausages and drinks for the charity walk, sausage sizzle and a gift package for the best-dressed dog on the day.
BI-LO assistant manager John Neal, who took part in the charity walk, said it was important for national retailers to be involved in events like Pinktober.
“I think we need to be a part of the community we’re in,” he said. “The people who benefit from these events shop with us, so this is our way of giving something back.”
Mr Neal said the best thing about Pinktober was bringing together members of the community for a good cause.
“From a store point of view it’s the whole team coming together, wearing the pink shirts and getting into the spirit of it,” he said.
“As we were walking along everyone was talking to everyone and it was a real good community feel.”
BI-LO service supervisor Allira McKay said it was rewarding to be a part of Pinktober and help the local community.
“It’s great to be involved in events like this, everyone enjoys it and it’s just a lot of fun,” she said.
“You feel proud because you know you’re helping a good cause.”
Kawana Shoppingworld marketing manger and Pinktober coordinator Brooke Neylan said the walk was a complete success.
“Through registrations for the walk $15,000 was raised in just five days, smashing last year’s total,” she said.
“We’re currently up to approximately $25,000, with more funds being donated each day.”
Aside from being an exciting event for the community, Pinktober also encouraged people to appreciate the goals and efforts of the CMBCF.
Vice president and CMBCF co-founder Kylie Perkin said Pinktober was vital in making the community aware of breast cancer and its affect on families.
“Public education is very important,” she said.
“There has been a huge increase in the number of breast cancer sufferers on the Sunshine Coast, and not many people realise this.
“The Foundation serves to raise awareness that it is happening, and demonstrate why the community needs to be involved.”
Pinktober is one of two major events held by the CMBCF during national breast cancer month each year.
An anniversary gala honouring the memory of Cindy Mackenzie also takes place to raise awareness in the community.
Cindy Mackenzie established the idea for a localised breast cancer centre that would provide accessible support to cancer sufferers and their families.
When Cindy passed away in April 2006, her husband John O’Leary and a group of close friends followed her wishes and set up the CMBCF.
So far the organisation has provided domestic support in the form of cooked meals, cleaning, childcare, ironing and gardening as well as practical, emotional and advisory assistance.
While there are many National Breast Cancer Organisations in Queensland and around Australia, the CMBCF is specifically aimed at helping the Sunshine Coast community.
“We are different from other breast cancer foundations because the money we raise on the Coast stays on the Coast,” Ms Perkin said.
The foundation currently supports a small group of families on the Coast, but intends to expand as funds become available.
“We’ve had overwhelming encouragement from people, especially kids and schools, in the community”, Ms Perkin said. “But raising funds is the hardest part, and that is where events like Pinktober come in.”
Future support for the CMBCF looked likely after a successful Pinktober 2008 campaign.
Mr Neal said BI-LO was already planning for the next Pinktober event.
“Our support will continue,” he said. “Anything that comes our way we will try and get involved in.
“Pinktober is raising awareness for breast cancer, so we have to get the word out there that we need to do all we can to raise funds for it.”
Image(s) designed by Lana Stewart