Pink, not red, was the in-colour at the Pioneer Rugby Club rooms on Sunday.
The club’s women’s team hosted a Paint Pioneer Pink Pink Ribbon high tea event and raised about $2000 for the Breast Cancer Foundation.
About 50 people attended the event.
Women’s team manager Debbie Smith said one of the players suggested the team host the event to raise money and awareness of breast cancer.
It was good for a rugby club to be involved, she said.
‘‘A rugby club is more than just rugby.
‘‘Cancer affects everybody.
Cancer survivor Katie Moylan, an Invercargill nurse, spoke about her journey with the disease.
Early detection of the disease was key, Ms Moylan said.
‘‘Treated earlier there’s a much better survival rate — in fact about 95% survival rate if detected on a routine mammogram.’’
She encouraged anyone who was eligible for a routine mammogram to have the procedure done.
‘‘Around 30% of eligible women out there are not utilising their free screening.
‘‘Let’s get that number down.
‘‘Screening saves lives.’’
She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020 and was one of the 6% of under-40-year-olds who developed the disease. She had got through the 14-month treatment by focusing on the positives each day.
‘‘You just have to get up and put one foot in front of the other.’’
At the time her daughter was 5 years old.
‘‘I had to pull my socks up.
‘‘I had to fight for her.’’
Nearly three years have passed since her diagnosis.
‘‘I still live in the shadows of cancer, I still have regular checks . . . and I still live with a big fat question mark over my head but that does not mean I am not living.’’
