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Adopt a pink rubber duck for Pfizer Powering Pink Duck Race in aid of MKF

Public asked to adopt a rubber duck for Pfizer Powering Pink Duck Race in aid of the MarieKeating Foundation #PoweringPink

Pfizer and Marie Keating Foundation working together to raise awareness of metastatic breast cancer and the needs of women living with the disease

Dublin, 18 August 2016: Ronan and Storm Keating today invited the public to support women with breast cancer and to raise awareness of metastatic breast cancer by adopting a pink rubber duck which will swim in the Pfizer Powering Pink Duck Race in aid of the Marie Keating Foundation. 10,000 rubber ducks will take part in the event in the River Liffey, Dublin on Saturday, 15 October 2016.  The ducks can be adopted for €5, with all proceeds going to the Marie Keating Foundation’s breast cancer programmes and services. Each of the 10,000 pink rubber ducks will be numbered and cast into the River Liffey on race day with the owner of the first duck to cross the finish line winning a weekend break for two at the five-star Conrad Hotel, which includes pre-dinner cocktails and dinner on one evening. Deloitte representatives will monitor the race and results will be certified. For more information and to adopt a duck, visit www.mariekeating.ie/ducks

Each person who adopts a Pfizer Powering Pink Duck in aid of the Marie Keating Foundation will receive an email with their duck’s unique ID number from the Marie Keating Foundation as well as advice on how to reduce the risk of breast cancer.

Around 2,900 women in Ireland are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. The 5 year survival for all breast cancer patients in Ireland is greater than 80%. However, for those diagnosed at the metastatic stage it is less than 20%. Metastatic breast cancer is the most advanced stage of breast cancer, in which cancer has spread beyond the breast to other organs in the body.  30% of women with early breast cancer will subsequently progress to metastatic disease. While there have been advances in breast cancer therapy, for the vast majority of patients, metastatic breast cancer currently remains incurable.

All of the proceeds raised by the Pfizer Powering Pink Duck Race will go to the Marie Keating Foundation’s breast cancer programmes and services. These include a new Positive Living programme for people living with metastatic cancer, helping them to cope with the physical and emotional impacts of the disease as well as managing the practical effects such as making legal and financial plans and finding support for themselves and their family. Funds raised will also support the Foundation’s breast cancer awareness programmes to help women prevent breast cancer and detect it at its earliest states and its Comfort Fund for families affected financially by cancer.

Speaking at the launch of the Pfizer Powering Pink Duck Race in aid of the Marie Keating Foundation, Ronan Keating said, “Over one in ten women will get breast cancer in their lifetime. There are currently nearly 30,000 women in Ireland fighting the disease, and it is also affecting their partners, their children, their parents and friends and family. The Pfizer Powering Pink Duck Race in aid of the Marie Keating Foundation is a fun, pink and uplifting event that may even see you win a great prize. But the event will also have a meaningful impact. It’s a great way to support these brave women and their families as all the proceeds of the event will go directly to the Marie Keating Foundation so that they can keep offering all of their programmes and services for free.”

Also speaking at the launch was Helen Forristal, Director of Nursing Services at the Marie Keating Foundation, who said, “Advances in treatments mean that more and more women are now living long and fuller lives after being diagnosed with breast cancer. However, the number of women being diagnosed each year continues to rise so the fight is far from over. We greatly appreciate the support of Pfizer for this initiative and of every person who adopts a duck. We also want to remind women that one of the most important things you can do for your health is to learn what looks and feels normal for your own breasts and then check them each month. Visit the Marie Keating Foundation website for tips on how to do this.”

Paul Reid, Managing Director of Pfizer Healthcare Ireland said, “Pfizer is delighted to be supporting this fundraising initiative by the Marie Keating Foundation to help raise awareness of the needs of patients with breast cancer and particularly metastatic breast cancer.  Over the last few decades there has been significant progress and awareness of the needs of breast cancer patients and we now need to elevate the needs of metastatic breast cancer patients. Your help is needed  – please adopt a duck and funds raised will help the Marie Keating Foundation to support breast cancer patients.”

To adopt a duck for €5 for the Pfizer Powering Pink Duck Race in aid of the Marie Keating Foundation, which takes place on Saturday, 15 October at 12pm on the River Liffey, visit www.mariekeating.ie/ducks. You can also adopt a Quack Pack of five ducks for €20 or a Duck Dynasty of 25 ducks for €100.