Foodstuffs South Island’s story:
“How Breast Cancer Foundation NZ helped us to champion breast cancer awareness in the workplace”
Last October, two staff members from Foodstuffs South Island, Kathryn and Primrose, organised a breast cancer awareness morning tea attended by 60 of the company’s support centre team in Christchurch. The pair had both been through breast cancer themselves and they decided to sign up to Breast Cancer Foundation NZ’s Pink For a Day campaign to promote the importance of early detection in the workplace, generate confidence around supporting colleagues affected by breast cancer, and raise funds for the Foundation.
Kathryn and Primrose both shared their breast cancer stories and Breast Cancer Foundation NZ’s Head of Nursing and Community Outreach, Natalie James, was invited to run an education session about early detection and how to support those who’ve been diagnosed. Primrose explained why the event was so meaningful to her and Kathryn:
This event was a way for us to create a platform for education, solidarity and hope. We wanted to foster a sense of community in our workplace, while raising funds for research and patient support services.
The attendees were deeply moved by our personal stories, and we learnt so much from Natalie. We were so grateful to have Breast Cancer Foundation NZ’s help to champion breast cancer awareness in the workplace.
Kathryn and I were both overwhelmed by how many of our colleagues felt comfortable enough to connect with us after the event, sharing their own stories of being impacted by breast cancer – either themselves directly, or through their family.
And it meant so much to us that the company was so supportive of the event. It was wonderful to have our CEO Mary be part of the conversation, and the company generously doubled the size of our donation to Breast Cancer Foundation NZ by matching the amount staff gave. It’s a nice feeling to know our employer cares about a cause that we care so much about.
Mary Devine, CEO of Foodstuffs South Island, also shared her reflections on how this event made an impact on the business:
This was a truly inspiring event. For me personally, hearing from two of our team members share their personal experiences with breast cancer really highlighted the role we play as an employer in supporting our team when they’re navigating difficult challenges. I know many in our team came away with useful practical knowledge around breast health and early detection of breast cancer.
Since then, we’ve seen more people come forward with ideas on how we can drive greater awareness of other important health topics, such as menopause education. It’s been great to see how the event has acted as a catalyst for getting our teams more engaged in open conversations about topics that touch the lives of so many of our team members, our whānau and our wider community.
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Have you been touched by breast cancer and would like to share your story? We’d love to hear more about it.
