Avon Canada plants pink tulips for breast cancer awareness
[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/planting tulip edited.jpg” caption=”President Peter George planted the first tulip bulb while pink-clad Avon representatives looked on. Photo by Susan Bubak.”]Avon Canada planted more than 3,000 pink tulip bulbs in several locations around campus today as part of its Breast Cancer Crusade. In addition to the tulip bulbs that were planted at McMaster, 140,000 tulip bulbs will be planted in more than 100 cities across Canada today.
Sally Lloyd, district sales manager of Avon Canada's Niagara Division, said the event is designed to raise awareness of breast cancer as well as remember those who have been affected by the disease.
“Everytime we look at a pink tulip in the spring, we remember the person who means so much to us,” said Lloyd.
The planting began at 10 a.m. at the Gwen George Memorial Garden in front of the Burke Science Building.
President Peter George planted the first tulip bulb.
“I think it's wonderful that Avon is doing this,” he said. “Breast cancer is such a terrible disease.”
Avon representatives, McMaster students and staff also planted tulip bulbs.
Carol Robinson of the Department of Civil Engineering attended the event in support of a friend who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.
“She's 32 years old, and she was diagnosed with breast cancer in February,” said Robinson. “She has a one-year-old son.”
Tulips were also planted at the following locations:
Since 1992, the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade has raised more than $12.5 million in Canada and more than $450 million in 50 countries worldside for breast cancer research, awareness, education, treatment and prevention through the year-round sales of pink ribbon products.
Money raised from the sale of Avon's “pink ribbon” products goes toward the Canadian Breast Cancer Research Alliance, the primary funder of breast cancer research in Canada.
