Last week, for the third year in a row, the Port Douglas Neighbourhood Centre had a girl's night to raise money for our local breast cancer support group Pink In The Tropics.

The Port Douglas Neighbourhood Centre auspices Pink in the Tropics, and the group is very dear to us. Breast cancer has affected many of us at the Neighbourhood Centre very closely with our partners, mothers, sisters, friends and volunteers being diagnosed with breast cancer.

Pink in the Tropics was initially formed three years ago by a group of local women who were all diagnosed with breast cancer at the same time, and wished that they had a group of women to talk to, and share their experiences with. 

It was launched at a now annual event at a Pink Breakfast at Mojos Restaurant in Mossman in October 2009, and started a massive state wide campaign, alongside our local member Jason O'Brien, to have the Patient Travel Subsidy reviewed with an aim to increasing it. 

Members of the group met with Anna Bligh on two occasions to discuss the difficulties faced by women with cancer who have to leave their home for cancer treatment.

The Port Douglas Neighbourhood Centre assists Pink in the Tropics by holding an annual fundraising evening, where women come together and eat, watch a chick flick, sing outrageously out of tune to Karaoke and basically have a great time, always remembering what we are there for.

The money raised goes to supporting the Pink Care program, a program that is designed to help local women who are going through breast cancer treatment, by providing them with a one-off assistance package whether it be a house clean. gardening etc.

To find out more about this program contact Beverly at the Port Douglas Neighbourhood Centre on Tuesday and Friday afternoons on 4099 5518 or check out the Pink in the Tropics website at www.pinkinthetropics.com.

All the details about the group, phone contacts, meeting times are all on the website.

The Neighbourhood Centre is not the only group behind Pink in the Tropics. On Saturday 29 October the Rainforest Habitat hosted a fundraising lunch for the group.

I think that sometimes people get a bit fundraised out in October as there are so many events raising money or awareness about Breast Cancer.

However, we need to remember that it affects one in eight Australian women, and that if by attending an event or donating money or even reading this reminds you to check your breasts, or remind your friends, partners, daughters, sisters to check theirs the message has got out. 

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