The town of “Pink” Bank celebrated its annual Paint the Town Pink mission May 2012. In Red Bank, Riverview Medical Center’s team of volunteers began this fun and creative way to deliver the message to all women: “early detection is a woman’s best defense against breast cancer.”  Their goal: “to encourage women in our community, aged 40 and older, to have their annual mammogram; to raise money to provide underserved women in our community; and to make a difference in the lives of women in our community.”

The idea is for the entire town and neighborhood to show their support for the fight against breast cancer by displaying as much PINK as possible!

This year the theme is Men In Pink and the volunteers searched for men who have had breast cancer impact their lives.

In Pink Bank, on Monday night NJ Discover Team attended “An Unplanned Plan: An Evening with Bill Rancic” at the Count Basie Theatre. The reality television star, Bill Rancic, was the first to win The Apprentice and is also married to E! News co-host Guiliana Rancic. For the very first time he talked publicly about his wife’s breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Bill met Guiliana after she interviewed him for E! News. They immediately hit it off and soon began dating. His love for Guiliana was apparent, and the fact that he adores her was visible in every story he shared about their life. Also apparent was his devastation on the diagnosis and the battle she had to endure.

Bill Rancic spoke to the audience with the intention of inspiring and empowering the “caretakers”. The very people who spend each day standing by the women they love who are diagnosed with breast cancer.

He spoke about life being a journey of experiences…Challenging us not to focus on the final destination, but to enjoy each stop along the way. Like a train stopping at a station, each stop being unique and new…Reminding us that each station needs to be enjoyed, and embraced…Encouraging us to live for the moment.

Bill talked about the caretaker, and how it is necessary to take on many roles: comforter, iron-man, comedian, sounding board, empowerment speaker and medical research investigator. Finding the right role to play that will generate the most strength can change at a moments notice.

Bill and Guiliana are optimistic and focused. They wake each morning and thank God for each new day and are grateful for each new experience and journey they are presented with. Surely it is evident that they are blessed because Guiliana is pregnant with their first child.

“Pink Bank” has inspired many more towns to join forces in the Paint The Town Pink mission: Atlantic Highlands=Atlantic Pinklands, Little Silver=Little Pink, Monmouth Beach=Pink Beach, Shrewsbury=Pinkbury, Fair Haven=Pink Haven, Holmdel=Pinkdel, Rumson=Pinkson.

Maybe next year we will see Marlboro=Pinkboro, Freehold=Pinkhold, Old Bridge=Pink Bridge and Manalapan=Manalapink and more!

Submitted by Tara-Jean Vitale