Pink Power Girls Night Out was held on Thursday, October 19th at the Wyndham Garden in York, PA. This inaugural event was sold out with 200 women in attendance, all wearing black cocktail dresses with a pop of pink. There were 20 breast cancer survivors present, ranging from a woman in her 30s diagnosed one year ago, to a woman who survived this disease for 27 years.
The event kicked off at 5:30pm with a silent auction, a fabulously fun photo booth, a Pink Power Passion signature cocktail, and delicious hors d’oeuvre stations. Denise Gilliland, founder of Pink Power and eight year breast cancer survivor, shared her cancer story and the mission of Pink Power. Survivors were honored during a survivor toast and placed special ornaments on a survivor tree.
Guest speakers included Dr. Maria Baker from the Penn State Cancer Institute Genetics Program, Anita Grove of Pink Partners in York, and keynote speaker Vinnie Myers, a world-renowned tattoo artist for breast cancer patients.
Pink Power Girls Night Out raised funds from various sponsorship levels, silent auction, a portion of ticket sales, and other donations for a grand total of $40,000.
Proceeds from this event will benefit the following organizations:
Penn State Cancer Institute Genetics Program – Funds will provide counseling and testing for genetic mutations for individuals with a personal or family history, and learn management options to lower the risk of a cancer diagnosis.
Pink Partners – Funds will pay for breast cancer screenings such as mammograms, biopsies, or MRIs for patients in York County who are uninsured or underinsured.
UPMC Pinnacle Breast Care Center – Funds will provide wigs, lymphedema sleeves, or non-medical expenses to patients to assist them during their journey.
Pink Ink Project – This is an organization founded by tattoo artist, Vinnie Myers. These funds will pay for tattooing on the reconstructed breasts of patients who wish to complete the last step of their journey, but may not have the necessary funds to make this possible.
“I am thrilled with the outcome of our first Pink Power Girls Night Out,” says Denise Gilliland. “I’m grateful for my amazing committee and the generosity and support of everyone who made this inaugural event a huge success! I feel blessed to have the opportunity to make a difference in our community.”