Think Pink Europe launch in the European Parliament
5 breast cancer organisations in Belgium, Italy, Greece, Romania and Bosnia and Herzegovina are joining forces. They have proudly presented Think Pink Europe in the European Parliament.
The 5 founding organisations have been collaborating for some time. All 5 of them organise Races for the Cure®, the world’s largest sports event in the fight against breast cancer. Its first edition was hosted in 1983 in Dallas, U.S.A., by the nation’s largest breast cancer campaign Susan G. Komen. The walking and running event crossed the ocean almost 20 years ago and touched down in Rome, where the largest edition of the Race for the Cure® worldwide is still hosted, counting 67,000 participants. Today, the Race for the Cure® is also hosted in Brussels, Antwerp, Namur, Bari, Bologna, Brescia, Athens, Bucharest and Sarajevo.
These Races for the Cure® are organised by Susan G. Komen Italia (Italy), Alma Zois (Greece), Fundatia Renasterea (Romania), « Zajedno Smo Jedno » (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and Think Pink (Belgium). The 5 organisations have been exchanging information and best practices for the last two years. “The time has come to deepen the collaboration by establishing a new organisation: Think Pink Europe. We are proud to be presenting this collaboration in the European Parliament. Collaboration is part of our DNA. By taking this step, we are focusing more than ever on cross-border collaboration”, says Jürgen Vanpraet (Think Pink), who will be act as managing director for Think Pink Europe.
He continues: “Think Pink Europe aims to improve and accelerate the exchange of information on both care and research, to tackle breast cancer on a European level too. That is why it is of vital importance that Think Pink Europe will have a home in Brussels, the heart of Europe.”
Mihaela Geoana (Romania), president of Think Pink Europe, stresses how much remains to be done. “Europe has made significant progress on so many levels. But looking at health care, the disparities remain too big. In certain European countries, women who are affected by breast cancer, have 20% less chances of survival; meaning that in 2018, women live or die depending on where they live. Think Pink Europe needs to promote exchanging best care practices faster and to pull its weight to change this unacceptable situation.”
Professor Riccardo Masetti (Italy) and Nela Hasic (Bosnia and Herzegovina) will be acting as co-chairman and co-chairwomen. Professor Alberto Costa will be acting as ambassador. Christiana Mitsi (Greece) completes the board of directors. Moreover, the new non-profit organisation is already talking to organisations in other European countries to join forces.
A first common project the Think Pink Europe members have been preparing for some time is the organisation of all European Races for the Cure® on the same day. That way, Think Pink Europe wants to unite in the future over 500,000 people affected by breast cancer and sympathisers through sports, as a symbol of solidarity in the fight against breast cancer.