Breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer in women in our territory. Cancer Support VI (CSVI) raises awareness and funds for U.S. Virgin Islanders impacted by cancer. Through our Pinktober events we celebrated women's health, promoted cancer awareness and honored breast cancer fighters and survivors. Pinktober is one of the largest fundraising initiatives of the year for CSVI and this year so many people and businesses in our community stepped up to make it a success – they were literally, the Power of Pinktober!
CSVI raised over $71,000 with the help of our Virgin Islands community!
Special thanks to Theodore Tunick & Co. | Marshall Sterling Insurance for their generosity in providing CSVI with a $25,000 grant that we used as a matching grant initiative.
Knowing their efforts would be doubled, many businesses took the initiative to raise funds on behalf of CSVI. From flowers to fashion, from food to fitness, from cooking to pumpkin carving — it is fair to say that Pink and creativity were not in short supply this past October.
Lattes in Paradise hosted a COVID-friendly family “Pumpkin Patch” carving event and PINK raffle. Rock Life Crossfit, led by Coach Rachel Thompson, did a month-long initiative of different activities including her trademark “Burpees for Boobies” where coaches were challenged to do hundreds of burpees by gym members. They ended the month with a “PINK Run & Halloween Fun” event, supported by a handful of local businesses. CC1, a local liquor distributor, donated an enormous amount of product that supported many of these initiatives. Sharifa Joseph took it upon herself bake and sell her specialty banana breads, donating a portion of each sale of to our PINKTOBER fundraiser. Gilly Anne Smith, owner of RCFSTT, did a specialty private healthy cooking class. Our hats off to the Red Hat Society, who placed their decorative bras at the Red Hook Mail Service, and throughout the month our community voted on their favorite bra. Karl Foster at ‘Za Rock partnered with CC1 and did a small “Pizza & Wine for a Cause” dinner event. Forever Flowers sold beautiful and festive “PINK Bouquets” throughout the month, donating a percentage of their proceeds. The new owners of Barefoot Buddha did a small fashion show. Colleen Cooke, Mutiny Vodka, The Mill, and Toast out of St. Croix created and sold delicious PINK cocktails. Tracy Calllwood and staff at the Government Office of Management and Budget decorated their offices all PINK and donated in order to support men and women having access to annual screening.
For so many, the fight is even harder during these unprecedented times. So, we are extremely grateful and humbled by all of our community’s continued support. Because of you, cancer patients in the Virgin Islands can get funds for critical care and support.