PINK LIFE AND ESPLANADE ZAGREB HOTEL – Together in the Pink Combat
On the occasion of the global Pink Ribbon Month initiative, the P.I.N.K. Life association and Zagreb’s Esplanade Hotel welcomed numerous dignitaries from the city’s public life at the Esplanade 1925 Lounge & Cocktail Bar for the third time in a row last night, to jointly encourage and make women aware of the importance of regular breast examinations, announce the association’s and hotel’s activities throughout October, and to once again symbolically ‘paint’ the Esplanade’s façade pink for the occasion. The association, together with representatives from Parliament and the City of Zagreb, emphasised statistical data and the importance of this initiative, and announced a number of commendable actions, including Esplanade’s special pink afternoon tea, the proceeds of which are in part donated to the PINK Life association.
It has already become tradition for the Esplanade, in collaboration with the non-profit association P.I.N.K. Life, to mark Pink Ribbon Month, a global initiative, with a narrative characterised by charity. It all started three years ago when, following in the example of Milan’s Scala, a bridge in Budapest, and the Eiffel Tower, the façade of the Esplanade was also illuminated. This is how this iconic hotel supported the fight against breast cancer, which begins with raising awareness, talking about the topic without shame, encouraging self-examinations, and attending public health campaigns for mammographic examinations.
The downward trend in the mortality rate can certainly be attributed to the raising of awareness, with the media also making their contribution, but it is worrying that more and more young women are affected, according to the statistics of the Croatian Institute for Public Health. This is a reason to continue organising events and to talk about prevention and lifestyle change as one of the main methods of prevention.
This particular event, where all the activities carried out in October by the PINK Life association and the Esplanade hotel were announced, gathered many people from public life: Ella Dvornik, Leonarda Lončar, Judita Franković, Hana Hadžiavdagić Tabaković, Tihana Harapin Zelepugin, Ivana Delač, Ivana Petković Čevra, Đurđica Vorkapić, Kristina Burija, Snježana Schillinger, Mirna Maras Batinić, as well as numerous physicians and entrepreneurs: Damir Vanđelić, dr. Vagić, Vesna Škare Ožbolt, dr. Trpimir Goluža, dr. Pavo Kostopeč, Andrea Šupe Parun, Ana Kurjak, and many others. All had the good intention to join a noble cause and send a powerful humanitarian message.
“For the eighth year in a row, the association is meeting at the beginning of October and, following in the example of global cities, is providing support in the fight against breast cancer. We are lighting up the Esplanade for the third year now and are proud that more and more people are joining us. We grow together, strengthening awareness of the importance of preventive examinations. I am grateful to all sponsors and the Management of the Esplanade Hotel for their support” said Nives Moric, President of the P.I.N.K. Pink Life association.
Along with the President of the Association, speakers at the event included Martina Bašić Koretić, specialist in oncology and radiology, Andrea Šupe Parun, specialist in epidemiology, Rada Borić, on behalf of the Chair of the City Assembly, Ivan Đerek Dubravčić, on behalf of the Mayor of the City of Zagreb, Mirjana Vuković, on behalf of Minister Vili Beroš and the Ministry of Health, and Ljubica Lukačić, on behalf of the Parliament of the Republic of Croatia.
How important is it: the latest stats from the Croatian Institute for Public Health
Breast cancer is the third most frequent malignant cause of death in women in Croatia, after lung cancer and colorectal cancer. According to the latest available data, Croatia recorded 2,869 cases of breast cancer (137.9/100,000 rate) in 2020, while 647 women died in 2022 (32.4/100,000 rate) from this malignant disease.
In the last 20 years, the incidence of breast cancer in Croatia has been on the rise, with a significant increase in the number of new cases occurring after 2006, when the national breast cancer screening program was introduced in Croatia. An increased incidence of breast cancer is expected because screening enables earlier detection of cancers. The mortality trend in the same period has been slightly increasing until 2016, when breast cancer mortality in Croatia decreased by 25-30% compared to the years with the highest number of women dying.
The PINK Life association, along with its partners, is conducting a national public health campaign against breast cancer in October under the slogan “Keep Breasts Healthy “. All events are aimed at collecting donations for the association’s activities, which include conducting workshops and purchasing equipment for health institutions, with the goal of improving the diagnostics, treatment, and rehabilitation of women suffering and operated on from breast cancer, as well as other cancers.
With this gathering, the Esplanade Hotel has actively joined the action and ventured into ‘pink combat’ throughout the month of October, which is dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of breast cancer prevention and the fight against this vicious disease. Therefore, from 2 to 31 October, the popular Esplanade Afternoon Tea at Esplanade 1925 Lounge & Cocktail Bar will be donning pink for one month, and the hotel will donate 10% of afternoon tea proceeds to the PINK Life association at the end of the month. Executive Chef Ana Grgić Tomić and Pastry Chef Mirjana Špoljar have joined forces and designed delicious snacks and pink desserts for the occasion, which will be conveniently served on a tiered stand with premium Ronnefeldt tea in a teapot. Pink Afternoon Tea for Two is EUR 48 (HRK 361.65). Table reservations can be made at phone 01 45 666 33.
Additionally, in order to announce this action and show support for the global initiative, the façade of the Esplanade Hotel will be illuminated in pink from 4 to 8 October.
“We are pleased that the Esplanade Hotel joined in the events this year, dedicating the whole of October to the Pink Ribbon Month action. Our special edition of the Pink Afternoon Tea has enticed many ladies over the years into actively participating and raising awareness of early screenings through social media. I sincerely hope that our engagement will contribute at least a little to this noble goal. We have established a wonderful collaboration with the PINK Life association, and I would also like to thank the many sponsors who help us raise awareness“, underlined Sanda Sokol, spokeswoman for the Esplanade Hotel.
At the Esplanade’s pink cocktail party, this laudable initiative was also supported by the Miva wine gallery, which provided a bubbly welcome with its Prosecco Villa Sandi Rosé. Additional support was provided by Nikel, a local cosmetics company that provided pink gifts for guests, as well as Borboleta which presented its iconic bracelets, while the Krauthaker winery provided premium wines. For yet another year, Lite Prom has provided the audio system, and lit up in pink the Esplanade Lounge & Cocktail Bar as well as the hotel’s façade.
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Photo download (photos with photographers’ signatures – Goran Jakuš and Daniel Pavelić):
