Minister of Health Kristján Þór Júlíusson accepted the year’s first pink ribbon at a ceremony in Harpa concert and conference center on Monday. The annual campaign to raise awareness of cancer among women and funds for cancer treatment officially kicked off yesterday. To mark the occasion, Harpa was illuminated in pink.
Harpa concert and conference center. Photo: Geir Ólafsson/Iceland Review.
CEO of the Icelandic Cancer Society Ragnheiður Haraldsdóttir said at Monday’s ceremony that strong participation in the initiative is invaluable, mbl.is reports.
“The general participation shows solidarity among the nation for an important project, revealing how we Icelanders are prepared to help one another,” Ragnheiður stated. Annually, 700 Icelandic women are diagnosed with cancer on average.
Alongside the sale of the pink ribbon an innovative auction will he held on bleikaslaufan.is where people can make bids for diverse and unexpected things and events every day for ten days from October 2 to 11.
The funds raised will be used to adopt a new method for diagnosing cervical cancer. “The technology will enable us to differentiate between women who are at a bigger risk and therefore have to come for checkups often and regularly and others who don’t have to come as often or even not at all,” Ragnheiður stated.
ESA
