New Jersey goes pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Residents will notice plenty of pink throughout the month as communities raise awareness about the importance of breast cancer screenings.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and New Jersey residents will likely notice plenty of pink throughout the month as communities raise awareness about the importance of breast cancer screenings.
Hospitals including Hackensack University Medical Center and Hackensack Meridian Palisades Medical Center are going pink to encourage women to schedule routine screenings and prioritize their health.
In Somerset County, seven police vehicles have been wrapped in pink for the month.
Each vehicle features a QR code that residents can scan to schedule a mammogram, making it easier to access potentially life-saving screenings.
In Morris County, organizers are preparing for the annual Pink Witches Night Out in downtown Denville, scheduled for Oct. 16.
Organized by the Kathy Olenowski Foundation, the event has been bringing the community together for more than a decade and continues to grow each year.
The foundation was created by Meg Olenowski in honor of her mother, Kathy.
"We're a good old Irish family and we didn't want a stuffy gala, or a scholarship fund that wasn't gonna do anything," Olenowski said. "We wanted a fun night. We wanted to remember my mom and honor her but in a way she would feel as natural, and she was such a generous person and such a giving person, so we decided we're going to give back."
Olenowski said the event is open to everyone and serves several purposes: honoring loved ones lost to breast cancer, celebrating survivors, and supporting those currently undergoing treatment.
"It's about letting people know they're never alone in this fight," she said.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month events and initiatives continue throughout October across New Jersey, helping raise funds, spread awareness and encourage early detection.
