Athlae Lyon Bequest Society High Tea

Kia ora koutou.  Greetings to you all.

I especially acknowledge Dame Rosemary Horton, one of the Patrons of the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation; Justine Smyth, Chair of the Foundation; Van Henderson, Chief Executive of the Foundation, and members of the Pink Ribbon Bequest Society.

I am really pleased to welcome you all to Government House for this Morning Tea to honour the memory of Athlae Lyon, the inaugural chair of The Pink Ribbon Bequest Society. This is an opportunity to welcome new members of the Pink Ribbon Bequest Society, and to hear about the important work of the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation.

The Pink Ribbon Bequest Society has a special connection to this House. It was launched here by Lady Susan Satyanand in 2009, and it is an honour to continue our association with you all.  I also note that one of the co-patrons of the Breast Cancer Foundation, Dame Cath Tizard, is a former Governor-General.

With New Zealand women having a 1 in 9 chance of developing breast cancer during their life, most of us know someone who has been affected, myself included. It is the most common cancer among New Zealand women. More than 2600 new cases are expected this year. It will also affect about 20 men. More than 650 women will die from the disease this year. That is 650 too many.

All New Zealanders, especially women, need to be vigilant.  This is where the work of the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation is crucial. Educating all New Zealanders on the life-saving benefits of early detection, and the importance of mammograms, has been an essential aspect of the Foundation’s work since it was established in 1994.  As a charitable trust, the Foundation needs the support of the New Zealand community to do its work.  Pink Ribbon events provide much needed community-based funding.

On that note, the Pink Ribbon Bequest Society provides crucial support to the Foundation. The Society was formed to recognise people who had decided to make a bequest to the Foundation.  Membership of the Society provides an opportunity to acknowledge, during their lifetime, those who had decided to support the Foundation in this way.

On behalf of all New Zealanders, thank you for your support.  You are helping, in a most generous way, the Foundation’s work in preventing New Zealanders developing and dying from breast cancer.

Again, welcome to Government House Auckland for this very special Morning Tea. It is my pleasure to support the Pink Ribbon Bequest Society and the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation today.

Thank you.