If you’re feeling really keen, why not do what Sarah Bernstone does? She hosts a Pink Ribbon Breakfast at home and another at work.

Sarah says: I had a brush with breast cancer in November 2012 – I was fortunate that I had DCIS and it was caught early on a mammogram; within the month I had been given a mastectomy and a second chance. For me the main message of my Pink Ribbon Breakfasts is be aware and check yourself; if you are old enough, make sure you attend your mammograms.

I have held a Pink Ribbon Breakfast in my home for the past 5 years – this year will be my 6th. I also work for 2degrees and have a super supportive boss and work colleagues, so we host a Pink Ribbon Bake Sale/Morning Tea each year in the office as well.

At home my events have varied – we started with a sit-down breakfast for about 30 which was chaotic, stressful and expensive so for three years we swapped to a morning tea with pink themed baking and friends bringing a plate. Last year I found on Pinterest a bunch of recipes for catering brunches which involved tray-bakes with bacon, egg & bread, sausage, tomato & potato gems, pancakes, French toast etc so everything was pre-prepared the night before and thrown into the oven on the morning – they were a huge success! After the food I always show a video on the TV and make an impassioned plea for everyone to check themselves and to spread the word. We also sell Entertainment Books and a lovely friend often donates handmade pottery for sale or auction to help raise funds.

On average we have between 30-40 guests attending events at home and our work events reach out to between 200-400 staff members.

People are very supportive and seem to enjoy the casual atmosphere, the chance to have a bit of fun dressing in pink from top to toe, the opportunity for a bit of a social and to appreciate the importance of the message; it is also a celebration of my ongoing remission – carpe diem!

The best thing is to be sharing time with friends who helped me through a difficult period in my life and to feel their love. I also like to know I am doing my best to spread the word about checking and mammograms – I would not be here today if I had not attended my mammogram in October 2012.

For me the hardest part was standing up in front of people – but this gets easier over time. And having a video to share with everyone makes it easier.

Sarah’s Top Tip:
Keep it simple – and give guests an idea of what to expect so they are not worried about what is expected of them. I always remind them to bring cash as it is a fundraiser, but I also set up an online page and have little slips with that information on it so they can donate online if they prefer.