Turn the countryside pink with #PinkBales for Breast Cancer Ireland

Silage season 2019 is underway and swathes of the lush green countryside are about to be splashed with vibrant pink as a major #PinkBales fundraising drive is unwrapped. Glanbia Agribusiness has teamed up with Breast Cancer Ireland for the 5th year in a row to raise vital funds for Breast Cancer Ireland.

BaleWatch Focus

This year, the campaign focuses on the importance of good breast health. The latest figures from the National Cancer Registry (2019) estimate that on average 3,141 women are diagnosed with breast cancer annually and while the figure is increasing it is, according to Professor Arnie Hill, Chairman of Breast Cancer Ireland, a result of better awareness, screening and increased population size.

Help Raise Awareness

Through #PinkBales 2019, farmers are encouraged to share photos and videos of their pink bales on social media, using the hashtag #PinkBales. They’re also urged to embrace the ‘BaleWatch’ drive by placing some of their pink-wrapped silage bales in visible locations on the farm to help raise awareness of breast cancer among those passing by.

How a donation is made

A donation will be made to Breast Cancer Ireland for every single roll of the limited-edition pink Mastercrop Agristretch silage wrap purchased across all Glanbia Agribusiness and GlanbiaCountryLife branches, as well as purchasing online.Supporters can also donate to the campaign by buying a Breast Cancer Ireland €2 trolley token, keyring or pin, available through all of Glanbia Ireland’s 53 branches.

Continue to embrace pink for 2019

Farmers around Ireland have already embraced the worthy cause. Last year alone, Glanbia Agribusiness raised over €100,000 for Breast Cancer Ireland through the #PinkBales campaign, their Two Peaks Challenge and the Glanbia Ireland 300 cycle. This year, Glanbia Agribusiness has also added the Plant Pink campaign, which sees the company donate €2 to Breast Cancer Ireland for every special Pink Dianthus plant sold at its 14 Glanbia CountryLife stores.

Commenting on the initiative, Breast Cancer Ireland CEO, Aisling Hurley, said: “Breast Cancer Ireland is once again, delighted to be the beneficiary of funds raised through this annual initiative with Glanbia Agribusiness. We welcome the impact the pink bales, dotted around the countryside throughout the summer, have in driving awareness of good breast health across rural Ireland. “In addition, the monies raised allow us to fund pioneering research and on-going awareness programmes. Early detection saves lives and we are grateful to those who help us to transform the landscape of breast cancer in Ireland.”

Breast Cancer Ireland wants to offer translational therapies from bench to bedside for patients diagnosed. Their aim this year is to focus on improvements in research that are changing the landscape. BCI’s outreach co-ordinators are covering all regions and are having massive impact.

Breast Cancer Ireland is also helping to heighten awareness and education on the importance of breast health amongst women of all ages – earlier detection will save lives.

Social media to help push awareness in rural Ireland

Glanbia Agribusiness is delighted to support research into breast cancer and to raise money for and awareness of such an excellent cause. Glanbia Ireland’s Marketing Manager, James Byrne, said: “Glanbia Ireland organises a number of campaigns and events annually to support breast cancer research and this one always has the greatest visual impact.

“This year, we really want social media users to help raise awareness of breast cancer in rural communities, not only by painting the countryside pink, but also by sharing their photos and videos of their bales with us, using the hashtag #PinkBales. We want everyone on board as the silage season 2019 kicks off and to make everyone in rural Ireland more breast cancer aware.”

First Published 21 May 2019