A pink ribbon, a pink shirt, participating in a walk…all ways to show breast cancer awareness this October. But Road Scholar Transport is taking it a step further, showing our support towards a cure 24/7 with not one, but four pink 80,000 lb tractor trailers.
The Truck that Sparked the Awareness Campaign:
It was a Saturday morning back in October 2007. Jim Barrett’s wife and daughters were prepared to take part in a breast cancer walk. Jim, however, could not attend due to work. Frustration set in with his family, who suggested that he could take one hour off to participate in the walk.
While they were gone, Jim decided to one up them. That morning, he walked across the street to a company who sells tractor trailers and told one of their employees that he wanted to buy a brand new trailer but under one condition…that they paint it pink.
He then went to a decal place and told the people there that he wanted an eight foot tall oval ribbon with a white background. Viola! Jim now had himself a pink breast cancer awareness truck.
He said to his wife, “Anyone could put on a pink shirt or a pink band around their wrist. Go try an 80,000 pound tractor trailer all pinked up for breast cancer awareness.” His goal was accomplished, he one upped his wife.
Rock on Judi H Awareness Truck
Since that day, our breast cancer trucks have been asked to participate in several events over various states. We’ve even created a truck in memory of Judi H, musician Paul LaBelle’s niece who passed away from breast cancer in 2007 at the age of 45.
Breast Cancer Facts:
The below facts are provided by the American Cancer Society.(1)
-Lung cancer is the leading cause of death in women followed by breast cancer.
-1 in 37 women will pass away from the disease.
-Around 252,710 invasive and 6,410 non-invasive new cases will be diagnosed in the U.S. this year.
-Nearly 40,610 women will sadly pass away from breast cancer this year.
The Origin of the Pink Ribbon:
Originally, Charlotte Hayley created peach colored ribbons to spread awareness for breast cancer, which she had been battling, handing them out in cards to thousands of women at the local supermarket.(2) The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation had been handing out pink visors to breast cancer survivors in 1990 and began giving out pink ribbons in 1991 to NYC race participants; however, it wasn’t until 1992 that the pink ribbon was established as a symbol for breast cancer.(2) Estée Lauder Cosmetics’ Evelyn Lauder and Self magazine’s Alexander Penney wanted to work together with Hayley on giving the peach ribbon national attention but Hayley refused, believing it to be too commercial, so the two ended up changing the ribbon color to pink.(2) From there, the pink ribbon symbolizing breast cancer spread nationwide.
Help Road Scholar Transport spread breast cancer awareness this month and all year round by keeping the freight moving. Click here for an LTL or Truckload rate and view all of our awareness trucks here.
1 http://pressroom.cancer.org/2017-09-28-October-is-Breast-Cancer-Awareness-Month-What-You-Need-to-Know-and-How-You-Can-Help
2 http://pinkribbon.org/about/history/
