Pink is the colour to help cancer charity

Mike and husband Alvin wore pink at their wedding in July.

Back for the 16th year, Wear It Pink Day, on Friday, October 20, will see thousands of people across the UK dig out their glad rags and raise funds for Breast Cancer Now, whose mission is that by 2050 everybody who develops the disease will live.

Mike Wilkinson-Brodie, 32, knows from personal experience the importance of research into this devastating disease. Mike’s mum, Carole Elliott, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012.

She underwent chemotherapy but the cancer returned and spread to her lung and then her brain. She sadly passed away from secondary breast cancer in August 2014, aged 49.

Mike decided to get involved with fundraising for Breast Cancer Now’s life-saving research because he’d had enough of seeing others diagnosed with breast cancer. After his mum passed away, he found that fundraising was a good way to help with the grief and there was even a pink theme at his mum’s funeral.

Mike’s first Wear It Pink event in 2014 saw 120 guests attending and £1,800 raised. In 2015, he collected around £2,500 and, in 2016, more than £3,000.

This year, Mike is hoping to raise even more, by holding an event on Saturday, October 21, at the Whitehouse Social Club in Ashington, featuring a raffle, pink-themed tombola, photo booth and supported by cabaret act Top Hat and Heels.

Mike said: “I can’t wait until this year’s wear it pink event. Each year, everyone just has a brilliant time, whilst raising awareness of breast cancer and raising much needed funds – it’s threefold! I really love organising the events and bringing everyone together, and working alongside my family and friends to make the events successful.

“Wear it pink is a great opportunity to let your hair down and have fun whilst fundraising for such an important cause. Men don’t need to wear full on pink either, it can just be pink socks or a tie. But it’s fantastic that so many men embrace it too – gone are the days of the stereotype that men can’t wear pink! I really hope my fellow Northumberland residents will join me and wear it pink!”

Breast Cancer Now, the UK’s largest breast cancer charity, funds vital breast cancer research across the UK and Ireland. Scientists, researchers, fundraisers and supporters are working together to find out on how to prevent breast cancer, how to detect it earlier and how to treat it effectively.

To take part in wear it pink this October, please visit wearitpink.org for further details, fundraising ideas and how to register for your free fundraising pack.