By Kayla J. Marsh
Staff Writer
EATONTOWN – For the last decade, Paint the Town Pink events in municipalities throughout Monmouth and Ocean counties have brought together communities in raising awareness about the importance of women having their annual mammogram.
Since 2006, local municipalities have teamed up with Meridian Health to not only highlight the importance of an annual mammogram, but to raise funds to provide free screenings for uninsured and underserved women.
For the past two years, the Borough of Eatontown has been part of the breast cancer prevention, detection and treatment campaign and officials hope to continue making a difference in the lives of women in the community.
“It is [Pinkontown’s] third year supporting the Paint the Town Pink campaign and we are very excited,” said Tria Deibert, chair of the event, at a recent Borough Council meeting.
“In previous years we did a community event at Woodmere School and this year we are changing things up a little bit.”
For the past few years, Woodmere School was transformed into a Family Fun Day center with a variety of activities for all ages to participate in such as face painting, games and a talent show.
“This year we are looking to do what we’re calling a Mimosa’s and Mammograms [event] and it will be a brunch for women with the idea of people coming together to celebrate survivorship,” Deibert said.
“Every year Paint the Town Pink has been an event that really addresses breast health … so it is about putting yourself on your ‘to do’ list and getting your mammogram.”
The site and the date for the brunch as yet to b determined.
Deibert said since this is Paint the Town Pink’s 10th anniversary, it is about showing support and encouraging more women to get their annual screening done.
“We are featuring local survivors and the campaign is called “Tickled Pink” [with a focus on] the number of laughs made possible by early detection,” she said.
“So based on the number of years that they have been a survivor, we’ll calculate the average number of laughs per day and the whole point is that there is joy after a diagnosis.”
While some things need to still be finalized before the event takes place, Deibert said the event brings many communities together.
“We are potentially partnering with Ocean Township and Tinton Falls to do a three-town wide event because they are adjacent to us and are also very interested in doing this,” she said.
“We will continue to work with the businesses in town as well. They provide educational materials and they support the event and we promote what they are doing in their business.”