Asda Larne '˜in the pink' for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Asda colleagues in Larne will raise vital funds for Breast Cancer Care and Breast Cancer Now charities, this month as part of the retailer's 'Tickled Pink' campaign.
I(From left) Dr Niamh Buckley from the School of Pharmacy at Queen's University Belfast; Catherine McCallion, Asda Larne community champion, and Queen's University PhD student, Ahmed Elkashif, are joined by Asda NI "community champions" and Joe McDonald, Asda NI corporate affairs senior manager, at Queen's University Belfast for the launch of Asda NI's Tickled Pink Campaign 2018.I(From left) Dr Niamh Buckley from the School of Pharmacy at Queen's University Belfast; Catherine McCallion, Asda Larne community champion, and Queen's University PhD student, Ahmed Elkashif, are joined by Asda NI "community champions" and Joe McDonald, Asda NI corporate affairs senior manager, at Queen's University Belfast for the launch of Asda NI's Tickled Pink Campaign 2018.
I(From left) Dr Niamh Buckley from the School of Pharmacy at Queen's University Belfast; Catherine McCallion, Asda Larne community champion, and Queen's University PhD student, Ahmed Elkashif, are joined by Asda NI "community champions" and Joe McDonald, Asda NI corporate affairs senior manager, at Queen's University Belfast for the launch of Asda NI's Tickled Pink Campaign 2018.

Fundraising will take place in-store and in the local area during Breast Cancer Awareness Month led by community champion, Catherine McCallion.

Asda has already raised a staggering £60m through the campaign over the past 22 years to provide improved care, support and information for anyone affected by breast cancer, as well as to help fund vital research to help stop women dying of the disease in the future.

Asda Community Champions from across NI recently visited Queen’s University Belfast to see first-hand how money raised supports the work of Breast Cancer Now Scientific Fellow, Dr Niamh Buckley, and her ground-breaking research into triple negative breast cancer.

Around 15% of all breast cancers are classed as ‘triple negative’, an aggressive form of breast cancer which is more likely to spread to another part of the body where it becomes incurable. Unfortunately, there are limited treatment options for triple negative breast cancer patients, and so the need for research in this area is incredibly important.

Dr Buckley’s Breast Cancer Now Fellowship is funded by Asda and the money raised by the Tickled Pink campaign.

George Rankin, senior director for Northern Ireland, Asda said: “As this year’s Tickled Pink campaign launches in Northern Ireland, it is an ideal time to say a massive thank-you to all of our colleagues and customers who have whole-heartedly supported the campaign in previous years – and to call upon their support again this October.

“As we surpass the £60m mark in terms of funds raised for Breast Cancer Care and Breast Cancer Now, it was very poignant to visit Dr Buckley’s lab at Queen’s University Belfast to view first-hand the incredible research that is being made possible thanks to the Tickled Pink campaign. In coming together to fundraise this year, we will have further opportunities to help change, and potentially save, the lives of those affected by breast cancer in the future.”

Dr Niamh Buckley, from the School of Pharmacy at Queen’s University Belfast and Breast Cancer Now Scientific Fellow, said: “Thanks to funds raised through Asda’s Tickled Pink campaign, my team and I are able to work towards developing new treatments for aggressive types of breast cancer, which currently have limited treatment options, to improve the chances of survival for thousands of patients and stop more people losing their loved ones.

“Every year, I am touched by the generosity of Asda colleagues and customers in supporting Tickled Pink – with money raised in Northern Ireland helping to fund research which will enable doctors to better classify patients and deliver drugs which are not only more effective – but are also kinder and more bearable for patients.”

Catherine McCallion, Asda Larne Community Champion, commented: “This year, colleagues in Larne will be ‘in the pink’ throughout Breast Cancer Awareness Month to raise awareness of breast cancer, and the fundraising activities taking place instore and in the local community.

“After meeting Dr Niamh Buckley, and hearing about the cutting-edge research she is able to carry out as a direct result of money raised by Asda, I will be going the extra mile with fundraising this year.

“From a Tickled Pink tombola to colleagues wearing pink, we will be busy raising funds for the charities supported through Tickled Pink to help fund much needed support for those affected by the disease, as well as vital research.

“At Asda Larne, we will be proud to be pink – and we hope you can join us.”

Samia al Qadhi, chief executive of Breast Cancer Care and Baroness Delyth Morgan, chief executive of Breast Cancer Now, said: “The Tickled Pink campaign has raised an incredible £60 million for Breast Cancer Care and Breast Cancer Now over the last 22 years and we would like to thank Asda colleagues, customers and suppliers for their continued and dedicated support.

“Together, we have achieved so much. However, the need for specialist care, support and information for people living with, and beyond breast cancer, and further pioneering research to stop women dying from this devastating disease, remains as important and urgent as ever. Every 10 minutes, someone is told the life-changing news that they have breast cancer. Thank you to all those who get involved with Tickled Pink by buying from the collection or fundraising in-store this October, your support is hugely appreciated and will make a big difference.”

Asda Larne will be holding a “Tickled Pink” tombola on Friday October 5, from noon until 3.00 pm. For more information on how to get involved, contact Catherine McCallion on 028 28 268 500.

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