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Telephone, Telegraph, Tell-A-Woman" was one of Estée Lauder’s favourite quotes. With the Pink Trees for Pauline initiative exactly that was done...people from all over South Africa and Namibia spread the word about this unique fundraising initiative. 55 Towns started wrapping their trees in the distinctive pink material and to this moment more than 170 000 trees are donning pink apparel! If these kilometres of pink material were telegraphs sent to cancer communities, the message most certainly would have read “Love. Care. Acceptance. Calm. Hope.”
The mission of Pink Trees for Pauline is to create a pro-active initiative that will produce long term effects which will linger forever in the hearts and minds of everyone involved. Pink Trees for Pauline believes that everyone deserves a second chance and must be treated with respect and dignity while on their life’s journey. Every story of hope that is told is confirmation that Pink Trees for Pauline is walking in this mission...small steps day by day.
Estee Lauder Companies recently announced its partnership in the Pink Trees for Pauline initiative. The 2013 theme for the Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign for Breast Cancer Awareness month and beyond is “Lets Defeat Breast Cancer, We Are Stronger Together”. This is a call to action that will serve to shift public focus from awareness to increased action, advancing us further towards eradicating breast cancer from our lives. The testimonies from cancer communities confirm that action is taken; people are caring and reaching out to one another. Roads throughout South Africa and Namibia lined with trees wrapped in pink are clear evidence of this.
Every day brings more stories of hope, caring, love amongst communities. A cry-out from Thaba’Nchu in the Free State for support for a single mother (from Thaba’Nchu) who was distraught and alone in Cape Town after her 2 year old baby daughter’s eye had to be removed due to cancer, is again evident of just how much cancer communities care. After a telephone call a cancer organisation took action and rushed to her side. Without the necessary resources cancer organisations cannot take action...and that is exactly where a unique fundraising initiative like Pink Trees for Pauline makes a difference.
The hope that the physical action of wrapping a tree brings to people is heart-rending. A grown man wrapped a tree on his sidewalk after dark...and he bore witness, by doing that, he got closure after losing his mother to cancer. A mother confirmed that she wrapped a tree “for her daughter” whom she lost to cancer 5 years ago. Beyond the closure that comes after the sadness, there comes HOPE that the funds raised by purchasing the pink material will be helping those in the cancer communities.
Helen Keller once said “The world is full of suffering. It is also full of the overcoming of it.” On 18 October 2013 it will be the national celebration of the Pink Trees for Pauline initiative. People from all walks of life will be celebrating the message of hope...of conquering cancer...LIFE!
Estée Lauder – www.esteelauder.co.za
Pink Trees for Pauline – www.pinktrees.co.za
