The Hot Pink Panthers don’t have anything to do with Detective Cluseau. They’re a Seattle-based group participating in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk for the Cure this September. They are led by Annabelle Ridge, whose adopted mother battled breast cancer for several years. “I would feel like I was letting my mom down if I didn’t do this,” Ridge says. “To have this opportunity to help fight the disease is helping me to overcome the feelings of helplessness I had as she was going through treatment.”
Ridge’s team, which includes several of her coworkers from the Customer Service and Support group at Microsoft, is largely comprised by women who came from other countries to work at Microsoft. Ridge herself is from France.
Laura Martelli, a Microsoft employee from Argentina, explains the appeal of the 3-Day Walk to her: “Events like the 3-Day Walk for the Cure just don’t exist in most parts of the world, so for most of us on the team this is the first time we’ve ever had the opportunity to participate in something like this. It’s very empowering and a great bonding experience. Several of us are already talking about ways we could export this unique American tradition back to our home countries.”
Each member of the team has committed to personally raising a minimum of $2,300 prior to the walk, which is scheduled for September 11 – 13. Separate 3-Day walks are held in several US cities each year. The 3,200 people who participated in the Seattle walk alone last year raised $8.6 million, up from $6.4 million for the 2006 walk.
Susan G. Komen for the Cure is a global breast cancer movement that aims to educate, empower and save women and men from breast cancer. Together with the large network of breast cancer survivors, this movement is globally dedicated to help fight against breast cancer in the world. Survivors and friends have already invested more than $1 billion and became the largest source of nonprofit funds in helping victims of breast cancer that was earned from partners, sponsors, supporters, and survivors.
The funds go toward helping raise awareness for early detection, scientific research and patient support in fighting this disease. information on how you can support the Hot Pink Panthers, visit http://www.the3day.org/
