Pink Week is coming to Cambridge from February 2nd until February 11th, turning the town pink in a series of events aimed at raising funds and awareness for breast cancer care and research. The student-led charity initiative was founded in 2011 by Nina Rauch, daughter of former Guardian columnist Dina Rabinovitch, who passed away from breast cancer in 2007. Pink Week is now present on a number of university campuses in the UK, including Bristol and Birmingham. The funds raised during Cambridge Pink Week 2017 will support a number of breast cancer charity groups, such as Breast Cancer Care, Cancer Research UK, Breast Cancer Haven and CoppaFeel. 

This year, the committee hopes to raise £30,000 across eight University-wide events and a number of smaller events organised by student representatives at each Cambridge college, setting the target above the £24,000 raised in 2016. College Representatives Co-ordinator Joe Landman commented: “The energy of Pink Week has meant that each year it gets bigger and bigger – this year supported by 60 committee members across the University.”

The main event was the Pink Week Ball, held last night, Thursday 2nd February, and attended by approximately 600 students. Half of the cost of each ball ticket went straight to the sponsored breast cancer charities, with sales raising over £15,000 in the first 30 minutes. Musical acts included Noisettes, Bestival founder and Radio 1 DJ Rob da Bank, and Truly Medley Deeply, while local businesses such as Aromi and Nanna Mexico provided food for the evening.

Other University-wide events include ‘Clare Ents Turn Pink’ on Friday 3rd February, the Jesus Green ‘Pink Run’ on Saturday 4th February, the Pink Week play at the ADC, ‘Unravelling the Ribbon’, and a Pink Week Panel Discussion at the Union on Monday 6th February, chaired by MP Nick Thomas-Symonds and featuring medical and breast cancer charity professionals. Each college will also hold a formal hall, alongside other smaller events such as ‘Mean Girls x Christ’s Films’.

“Raising money is half of the picture of our events,” Joe Landman told Varsity. “The other half is the positive message of Pink Week, which is infused with an earnestness that attempts to educate and engage the University community about breast cancer.”