Breast Cancer Foundation NZ is calling on people in the Eastern Bay to step up and volunteer for the charity’s Pink Ribbon Street Appeal, taking place on October 17 and 18.

The street appeal is the foundation’s longest-running fundraiser, and it couldn’t happen without the thousands of volunteers around the country who donate their time to collect donations for life-saving breast cancer research, education and patient support. More volunteers in the region are still needed for two-hour collection shifts across the two days.

Breast Cancer Foundation NZ chief executive Ah-Leen Rayner said local support was desperately needed for the charity’s work to continue: “We don’t receive any government funding, so we rely on the generosity of incredible volunteers to keep our vital work going.

“Giving up just two hours of your time is a small act that has a massive impact. Every dollar raised goes towards our mission to stop New Zealanders dying from breast cancer.”

Each year, around 205 women are diagnosed with breast cancer across the Bay of Plenty. The money raised from the Pink Ribbon Street Appeal funds ground-breaking research, life-saving education campaigns, and critical patient support.

Sign up to collect for the Pink Ribbon Street Appeal at pinkribbonvolunteer.org.nz.

Registrations close at 12pm on October 16.