MOIRA PAINTS THE TOWN PINK
Saintfield businesswoman, Moira George, is getting behind the annual Paint The Town Pink campaign from Action Cancer, which raises vital funds for its life-saving breast screening service.
Moira, who is the owner of the Barn Owl Boutique, knows only too well the importance of Action Cancer’s Breast Screening Service and early detection.
Moira said: “I was screened at Action Cancer House in 2020 following the first lockdown and it was at this appointment that a cancer was discovered. If I hadn’t had the reminder to attend the appointment my story would have been very different. Action Cancer saved my life by detecting my cancer at an early and treatable stage. I will be forever grateful to them.”
Whether you decide to ‘get your bake on’ with a coffee morning in the office, have your friends and family sponsor you to ‘brighten your bap’ by dying your hair pink, selling Action Cancer raffle tickets or organising a ‘wear something pink day at work’ – no matter what you choose to do, your support will make a huge difference to local women in your own community.
Moira continued: “Paint the Town Pink is such a fun and engaging way to help raise funds for Action Cancer’s vital breast screening service and my business takes part each year. Action Cancer saved my life and I will be forever grateful to them. At the Barn Owl Boutique, I interact with women every day and each one of those women could need the help and support of Action Cancer and avail of the amazing range of services that the charity provides. I would encourage all types of retailers, salons, office staff and shop owners across Northern Ireland to get involved with Paint the Town Pink and make it their business to raise £120 and potentially save a life, just like mine.”
Once a business has registered to take part, they will be provided with a special PTTP fundraising pack which contains fundraising materials including bunting, collection boxes, balloons and lots of great ideas on how to raise some money. The Action Cancer Fundraising Team will also be on hand to help support and promote your fundraising event.
Action Cancer’s Community Fundraising Co-ordinator, Kelsey O’Donnell, said: “The screening service that Action Cancer provides is unique and free to the user but the charity does not receive regular government funding so it has to rely on public fundraising in order to operate. At Action Cancer we know just how much of a difference our services make to people’s lives, people like Moira, so please join us and make it your business to get on board with the Paint the Town Pink fundraiser and help make a positive difference.”
Action Cancer is the only charity in Northern Ireland to provide breast screenings for women between the ages of 40-49 and 70+, ages not included in the NHS screening programme. The charity has been at the heart of cancer prevention, detection and support for over 50 years. The services that Action Cancer provide are unique and free to the user but come at a cost to the charity of £4 million every year. These services include an early detection breast screening clinic, therapeutic services for people living with a cancer diagnosis as well as people supporting a loved one with a diagnosis and a range of health improvement services. These can be accessed from Action Cancer House in Belfast or from 13 regional locations and on board the Big Bus (supported by SuperValu and Centra) which travels to over 200 locations each year. If you or your business would like to take part in Paint the Town Pink, please call Mark Irwin-Watson in the fundraising team on 07580 133752 or email pttp@actioncancer.org
