Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 14, 2023, is a day to celebrate the mums in our lives, but also a day singled out to help raise money for a cancer that kills seven women every day in Australia.

Women and men in the Douglas Shire are encouraged to don pink this year on Mother’s Day to further advance the cause. One in eight women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime, 47 will be diagnosed today, and 60,000 Australians are currently living with breast cancer.

Over 4,300 Queensland women are diagnosed each year with a breast or gynaecological cancer.

Locally the Breast Cancer support group ‘Pink in the Tropics’ is getting behind a move by The National Breast Cancer Foundation to make Mother’s Day a special time to raise awareness of this cancer. In the most recent stats we have, there were 3,144 deaths from breast cancer in Australia (34 males and 3,110 females) in 2020.

Douglas dedication

Formed in 2010 by a group of Douglas Shire women, ‘Pink in the Tropics’ help local women face the
challenge of Breast Cancer.

A community-based charity and support group in the Port Douglas, Mossman, Julatten, and Daintree regions, ‘Pink in the Tropics’ currently has a following of over 30+ men and women who hold monthly gatherings and together host several fundraising activities throughout the year.

This year on Saturday May 13th they are having lunch at Salsa as an entrée to the Port Crocs game against the Cairns Saints.

Throughout the day, raffles will be held at the Croc Pit during the match to raise money for the charities, and your support for these raffles would be appreciated. This is a fantastic way to get involved with the event even if you can’t secure a ticket for the charity lunch.

The funds raised on the day will be split 50/50 between FNQ breast cancer support group 'Pink in the Tropics' and Prostate Cancer Foundation Australia, ensuring that every dollar donated goes towards supporting these vital causes.

PITT President Annie Richardson told Newsport “the lunch this year is a sell out, but we take every opportunity to let people know about this cancer and the research into it and I suggest women aged between 50 and 74 years should have a mammogram every 2 years,” she said.

Annie also added that any women who’ve been diagnosed with Breast Cancer in the past should have a check every 12 months.

Screening mammograms are used to find breast cancers early before they can be seen or felt. The earlier breast cancer is found, the better the chances of surviving it and ending up in the pink.

www.pinkinthetropics.org/