Honor Breast Cancer Awareness Group

Senate Resolution No. 2447 BY: Senator BOYLE COMMENDING First Company Pink upon the occasion of hosting its 6th Annual Luncheon on June 6, 2017, and recognizing the determined and unwavering efforts of its co-founders who strive to increase breast cancer awareness WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize official days that are set aside to increase awareness of issues that affect the lives of citizens of New York State; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commend First Company Pink upon the occasion of hosting its 6th Annual Luncheon, and to recognize the determined and unwavering efforts of its co-founders who strive to increase breast cancer awareness as well as to ensure that all women get checked for breast cancer; and WHEREAS, First Company Pink is the sponsor of Got Checked Day, a vital, lifesaving campaign meant to educate and inspire youth to seek change, through breast-health interactive workshops and an array of valuable initiatives educating our young women about their breast cancer risks, allowing them to discover the lifesaving power of intervention and lead them to early detection; and WHEREAS, First Company Pink is an independent not-for-profit organization founded in April of 2010, by Donna Cioffi, as a selfless act of courage, following her own personal battle with breast cancer; she, along with others close to her, have experienced firsthand what it is like to be on the frontline of the battlefield; these passionate women work together to give every woman an equal lifesaving opportunity; and WHEREAS, Since its inception, First Company Pink has been passionately committed to raising funds to support lifesaving breast cancer research and promoting wellness and increasing public awareness; through its partnership with The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, First Company Pink strives to fund clinical and translational research, seeking prevention before a cure is needed; and WHEREAS, With a 2% yearly increase in metastatic breast cancer found in young women and the fact that 1 in 227 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer between the ages of 30 and 40, we can no longer overlook this is now an epidemic; and WHEREAS, In 2015, Linda Bonanno, a fellow survivor, joined forces with Donna Cioffi as co-Founder, Partner, and Creative Director to form the Got Checked Campaign; and WHEREAS, Through the Got Checked Campaign, Interactive Breast Health Workshops have been instituted in 16 Suffolk County school districts; in addition, this vital movement is focused on revising the current mammogram age recommendation, and advocating for a breast health mandate for the State of New York and beyond, making it a permanent part of young women's lives; and WHEREAS, Through a fresh and current approach using tools such as music, videos, and a new book entitled Decode Your Future, the Got Checked Campaign has reached a new audience of young women, educating them about their breasts and their risks for breast cancer; and WHEREAS, In remembrance of the women who have lost their lives to breast cancer, and in support of those who are currently fighting this disease, it is appropriate to commend First Company Pink and its Got Checked Day campaign in order to foster public awareness and understanding of breast cancer and to encourage early detection and prompt treatment; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to commend First Company Pink upon the occasion of hosting its 6th Annual Luncheon on June 6, 2017; and be it further RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to Linda Bonanno and Donna Cioffi, co-Founders, Got Checked Campaign.