Glanbia is proud to be involved as the title sponsor of the Great Pink Run with Glanbia - Breast Cancer Ireland’s flagship fundraising event which takes place annually in October – Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
To date some €2 million has been raised by The Great Pink Run with Glanbia, which supports pioneering research into breast cancer and also helps develop educational programmes, which create awareness of the signs of breast cancer leading to early diagnosis – which is key to a positive outcome.
Over the past 10 years of the Great Pink Run, experts have overseen the funding of many research programmes, which in turn have led to a transformation of the landscape of breast cancer for the future.
It is the aim of Breast Cancer Ireland to provide researchers and experts with the funds to continue their ground-breaking research into the disease and change the diagnosis from often being fatal to one that is a long term, treatable illness.
To date funding has been provided to experts carrying out research into Triple Negative Breast Cancer, while exploring new and improved targeted therapies to treat the disease. As a result of the Great Pink Run with Glanbia fundraising efforts, Breast Cancer Ireland was able to fund a three year research programme in this area to the tune of €200,000.
Triple Negative Breast Cancer affects many younger women and a lack of research into this area was identified, which made it an obvious choice for the BCI to consider for the available funding.
The charity also funds research programmes into metastatic breast cancer – the spread of breast cancer - leading to secondary occurrences.
Funding from the Great Pink Run with Glanbia has also been awarded to support specialist breast cancer research nurses to be located in the eight designated cancer centres, whose role is to collaborate nationally, collecting tissue and serum samples into one large centralised location, thereby speeding up research discovery times.
The charity also supports and funds education and awareness programmes nationally on the importance of good breast health for women of all ages.