Cardiff scientists wear it pink for Breast Cancer Campaign

10/24/2011 12:00 PM EST

Press Release

For immediate release: 24/10/2011
Press contact: Alice Rhodes, Media Relations Officer, DD 0207 749 4102, Email:  

Cardiff scientists wear it pink for Breast Cancer Campaign

Scientists at the Welsh School of Pharmacy, Cardiff University, took time out from their research last week to raise money and awareness in support of Breast Cancer Campaign’s wear it pink day.

The event was organised by Breast Cancer Campaign Scientific Fellow, Dr. Julia Gee, with the help of other Campaign funded scientists and raised an impressive £160! The Breast Cancer Research Group, which is made up of senior researchers, technicians and research students, donned pink lab coats and pink wigs for a donation of £2. There was also a pink cake sale and £5 charge for anyone that didn’t wear it pink!

Dr Gee said: “Our daily work in the laboratory aims to understand why some breast cancer patients become resistant to anti-hormone treatments, which is a big problem in the current treatment of breast cancer. We are trying to develop novel cell models to help us understand the pathways that cause resistance and we want to reveal new potential targets which could eventually be used to develop better breast cancer treatments.”

“We hope that by holding our own wear it pink day, we can make a contribution towards more research being funded to help find a cure for the disease. Everyone got into the spirit of things and really enjoyed the day!”

Last year hundreds of thousands of people took part in wear it pink raising a staggering £2.5 million for breast cancer research to help improve survival rates for the one in eight women who experience breast cancer during their lifetime. Every year, some 48,000 are diagnosed with breast cancer and wear it pink helps to fund vital research into the disease which affects so many.

It’s time to beat breast cancer and for only £2 Breast Cancer Campaign challenge you to wear it pink on Friday 28 October, at work, at home or at school and help save lives. To take part in the UK’s original pink day call Freephone 0800 107 3104, visit www.wearitpink.co.uk and register to receive your free fundraising pack or text PINK44 £2 to 70070 now to donate £2.

ENDS

Notes to editors
• Breast Cancer Campaign aims to beat breast cancer by funding innovative world-class research to understand how breast cancer develops, leading to improved diagnosis, treatment, prevention and cure
• Currently it supports 81 research projects, worth over £15.5 million, in 31 centres of excellence across the UK and Ireland
• Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK and accounts for nearly one in three of all cancers in women
• In the UK, nearly 48,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year - that’s 130 a day
• Visit www.breastcancercampaign.org or www.wearitpink.co.uk