Area Businesses Support Breast Cancer Awareness

Think pink? It might be because it’s that time of year. Pink chocolate. Pink hair weaves. Pink sheets. Pink stilettos. And, of course, a boatload of pink ribbons.

Locally,Oct. 4 in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Panera is parterning with the Young Women's Breast Cancer Awareness Foundation, founded by , and Magee-Womens Research Institute & Foundation by donating 100 percent of the proceeds through Oct. 31.

All 28 Panera locations in Pittsburgh will participate.

Locally-owned businesses around the Three Rivers also are thinking pink.

The Cutting Edge salon in  during October will offer pink manicures, pink feather extension and pink hair extensions—with $5 from each service being donated to the Pink Daisy Project.

"It is more important than ever for women of all ages to be aware of breast cancer and how they can join in the fight to end the disease," said Kehm, and YWBCAF co-founder Lisa Edmonds. "We are so happy to have renewed our partnership with Panera Bread this year to help bring about a cancer-free world."

Also, throughout the month of October, the Young Women's Breast Cancer Awareness Foundation is the Operation Dough-Nation partner in the Pittsburgh market.

Preorders for Pink Ribbon Bagels can be placed throughout October by visiting http://www.paneracovelli.com/gopinkpittsburgh.

Nationally, NASCAR is joining the cause. NASCAR painted a pace car pink and put a pink ribbon on it. They vowed to donate money for every lap the pace car had to take on the track. In September, one of the races was rained out and the laps of the pace car piled up.

“We are thrilled when a company decides to paint its building pink or when they allow women to take time off work for a mammogram or encourage them to get more information about breast cancer,” said Terry Music, chief mission delivery officer for the American Cancer Society.

“I want women to know the facts so we can end this once and for all,” she said. Music lost her mother to breast cancer and said early detection may have saved her.

Hanes® has been a long-time partner with the National Breast Cancer Foundation and added a comfort package on Facebook this year. It’s a customizable kit including a T-shirt meant to be given as a gift. Hanes will give a portion of profits to the cause.

“Comfort is more than just physical; it’s emotional, too,” said Sidney Falken, chief branding officer of Hanes. “We are proud to be partners with NBCF (National Breast Cancer Foundation) to help raise awareness of breast cancer and support a cause the Hanes consumer cares so deeply about.”

Land O’Lakes Purina Feed out of Pennsylvania put together 50 events aimed at educating women living in rural areas about breast cancer. They kicked off their Pink 50 with a Dash for Hope in Grantville, Pa., at the Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course.

Certain lines of animal food packages were turned pink for the season. “We wanted to put emphasis on women taking care of themselves,” said Anita Hood, equine specialist with the company.

Two thousand women’s basketball teams participate in the Pink Zone, including Penn State, whose team has raised more than $300,000 for the cause. The teams wear pink, encourage fans to wear pink, and collect money.

“The donation from Pink Zone (Penn State) enables our one-of-a-kind pink van, with the Lady Lion basketball logo as the sponsor, to travel around Pennsylvania as we work in every way possible to find a cure for breast cancer now so our daughters won’t have to,” said Pat Halprin-Murphy, president and founder of the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition.

Crozer-Keystone Health System turns on pink lights in all of their facilities and encourages all employees to wear pink on Oct. 3, in addition to a month full of breast cancer awareness events.

Vera Bradley supports the cause with "The Promise of Pink." Purchase any pieces from the Tea Garden line, its newest breast cancer awareness color and the company contributes 10 percent of the net proceeds to the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer. Make a purchase on Oct. 8 and 25 percent of the net proceeds will be donated to the foundation. Plus, recieve a free gift with a $25 donation.

Estée Lauder continues to give support to the cause. “Together we are stronger. Together we can do more. Together we can find a cure,” Evelyn Lauder has said.

Macy’s also got in on the pink-ribbon action. The department store is selling chocolates and stuffed animals to benefit breast cancer awareness.