Market goes pink for Breast Cancer Awareness

Porirua’s popular monthly night market will turn bright pink next Thursday to raise funds for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The market will be decked out in honour of the Breast Cancer Foundation, while visitors will be able to treat themselves to a pamper and some sweet snacks in support of a great cause.

Fryday Donuts will be selling pink iced donuts, and donating 25 cents from every one sold to the charity appeal, while the regular food trucks will also be donating a proportion of their takings to the charity.

For a donation to the foundation, market visitors will be able to treat themselves at a pamper station, run by Starr Pampers and Kia Orana Boutique.

Porirua Deputy Mayor Izzy Ford was delighted to see the city stepping up to support Breast Cancer Awareness.

“Raising much-needed funds for the foundation is particularly important given Porirua’s diverse population, as Pacific and Māori women diagnosed with breast cancer are twice as likely to die within five years of contracting the disease.

“More than 600 women in New Zealand die every year from breast cancer, meaning that many families cross the city and the wider Wellington region are likely to have been touched by it at one time or another.

“It’s therefore vital that we do all we can to raise awareness of the disease especially among our Māori and Pasifika populations, while also creating equity in cancer treatment and improving survival rates.

Breast Cancer Foundation New Zealand chief executive Evangelia Henderson said it was grateful to receive funds from the night market.

“All the cash raised will go towards our work in breast cancer education, research and support.”.

“With nine Kiwis diagnosed with breast cancer every day, we urge everyone to be breast aware, and this specially-themed market is a perfect reminder.

“We also urge all eligible women aged 45 to 69 to book their free screening mammogram with BreastScreen Aotearoa on 0800 270 200.

Henderson said breast cancer screening was lower amongst Māori women, a statistic the foundation was dedicated to improving.

“Māori have a 65% higher breast cancer mortality rate than non-Māori, but when their cancer is found on a mammogram, their survival is the same as non-Māori.

“A breast cancer patient has a 92% chance of surviving for 10 years if her cancer is detected by a regular screening mammogram. That figure drops to 75% if a lump is the first sign.”

ENDS

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