LIHU‘E — “Pink’d” is a term coined by Edie Ignacio Neumiller, the Hawai‘i State Commissioner on the Status of Women.
Pink is the color of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and pink’d is the term Neumiller used in inviting people to join the Kaua‘i Committee on the Status of Women (KCSW) in its Breast Cancer walk that was last hosted in 2018 prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
More than a hundred people, including a likeable “mothers’ group” with their children turned out to join the KCSW, Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami and Bev “Fun” Brody of Get Fit Kaua‘i on the short round-trip walk from the Mo‘ikeha Building to Wilcox Medical Center and back.
“We walk for those that can’t,” said Regina Carvalho, the KCSW secretary and host for the walk on Monday. “Building awareness is important, but taking action is essential.”
The KCSW is part of the Hawai‘i State Commission on the Status of Women that strives to advance the status of women and girls by acting as a catalyst for positive change through advocacy, education, collaboration and program development.
Following the short lunchtime walk on Monday, pink lights will illuminate the Historic County Building and the Lihu‘e Civic Center Mo‘ikeha Building during the month of October.
The Department of Water announced its employees would be wearing specially-designed pink work shirts that feature a pink remembrance ribbon on all Wednesdays for the month of October in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
“We come together as a department to support awareness efforts in our communities and to honor co-workers, families and friends, who have been impacted by breast cancer,” said DOW Manager and Chief Engineer Joe Tait.
“Water is essential to medical centers, businesses and research facilities that help to continue research for this disease. We will continue to work towards water system resiliency to ensure that our customers — medical, residential and businesses — have access to water service when they need it.”
During last week’s Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation (KIF) girls volleyball matches, the Waimea High School team unveiled its 2023 edition of pink warmup shirts, while KIF officials had pink lanyard, pink whistles similar to the one used by Carvalho at the Monday walk.
“We’re going to have to get them some feathers,” said Wendee van Giesen, of Specialty Balloons, who worked on the celebratory arch for the cancer walk. “Cancer comes in many forms, so I used all the different pink colors I had. I also mixed the sizes from big to small.”
During the Kaua‘i Pop Warner Football League (KPWFL) games, both cheer and tackle football participants sported flashes of pink, including pink hair ribbons for cheer and distinct pink socks for tackle football participants.
“We’re ready,” said Rose Anne Jerves, the KPWFL cheer coordinator.
