In October, we recognize Breast Cancer Awareness month – an international health campaign dedicated to raising awareness and fundraising for breast cancer research, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and, ultimately, a cure.

This year, our global operations celebrated ‘Pink October,’ which consisted of a series of seminars, activities, and information sessions designed to engage our workforce and reinforce the importance of breast cancer awareness and ways we can contribute to finding a cure.

See how our global operations participated in Pink October below:

Alaska

At Kinross Alaska, the team developed a series of events to honour fighters, support survivors, and build our relationship with the community through this important cause.

Fort Knox was excited to invite employees, family, friends and local breast cancer survivors to site for our annual ‘Pink Day’ blast in the pit – check out a video from the blast here! Fort Knox also hosted a series of lunch and learns, silent auctions and awareness gatherings to raise funds for breast cancer research and to educate employees both through talks by medical professionals and personal stories from survivors.

In our neighbouring communities, Kinross teamed up with the American Cancer Society to host the annual ‘Making Strides Against Breast Cancer’ walk in Fairbanks to raise funds and spread awareness in the community. In Tok and Delta, Kinross teamed up with the Breast Cancer Detection Centres mobile mammogram van to provide screening and on site referrals for community members who may have challenges accessing medical screening services. Additionally, Kinross Alaska partnered with the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) to host a ‘Breast Cancer Awareness’ night at UAF’s volleyball, basketball and hockey games with over 3,000 pink scarves donated to all attendees.

Brazil

In Brazil, the team at our Paracatu mine and Caçu and Belo Horizonte regional offices hosted daily safety talks  that encouraged the participation of all employees. The purpose of the talks was to promote awareness of women’s health and the importance of shared responsibility and support from both men and women to encourage care and prevention.

In addition to the daily talks, female employees were invited to participate in the “K Entre Nós Mulheres” event where they heard from a guest speaker who shared her experience with breast cancer, the importance of early detection and encouraged the women to take steps toward prevention and self-care.

In an effort to promote early detection, Kinross Brazil provided all female employees and employees’ female dependants with complimentary mammograms during the month of October. 

Chile

In Chile, the local team created the “Unidos por el rosa” (United for Pink) campaign that aims to spread awareness of breast cancer while inspiring employees and community members to educate themselves on best practices related to screening and prevention.

On site, a truck was painted pink and a commemorative sign was put up in the field with the phrase ‘Unidos por el rosa’ to keep the campaign top of mind during the month of October. Employee buses were also decorated to include inspirational messages from female employees to promote awareness such as ‘prevention is the best gift for your family’, and employees were gifted with pink uniforms including hard hats, shirts and vests.

Canada

Our Corporate headquarters in Toronto kicked off Breast Cancer Awareness month by welcoming the Canadian Cancer Society’s Community Outreach Team to the office for a special in-person session focused on education, risk reduction and empowerment. 

Employees from our Great Bear team in Red Lake, Ontario, were encouraged to virtually participate in the session that provided attendees with ways to reduce the risk of cancer, and gain a deeper understanding of cancer prevalence in society as well as key risk factors. Participants engaged in informative discussions to support awareness and community learning and to develop practical actions to reduce risk through early detection and healthy lifestyle habits.

The session also welcomed Jocelyn Alfieri, a HOPE participant and cancer education advocate who shared her personal journey with breast cancer and the importance of support and awareness for fighters and survivors.

Curlew

At our Advanced Exploration property in Republic, Washington, Kinross partnered with the Ferry County Health Department to educate community members and spread awareness of breast cancer, early detection and ways to support fighters and survivors through their annual coffee sessions. 

Employees from Curlew volunteered to attend three local coffee shops to hand out educational materials and swag, and provide complimentary coffee to community members in an effort to promote awareness and spread outreach in Republic.  

Las Palmas 

At our Las Palmas regional office, employees dressed in pink and headed to the Monte Pavon for a special tree planting day in collaboration with ‘Foresta’. The event was an opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to environmental sustainability and community well-being while promoting breast cancer awareness and bonding employees through this engagement activity.

Nevada

In Nevada, our Bald Mountain and Round Mountain teams came together to raise awareness and show support throughout the month of October by encouraging employees to showcase their best pink attire. 

Employees were given commemorative ‘Pink Day’ shirts, vests and hard hat stickers to show their support and stand in solidarity with fighters and survivors.

Tasiast

At our Tasiast mine in Mauritania the team turned the mine pink to demonstrate our shared commitment to health, prevention and solidarity through a series of events and activities that promoted education, compassion and collective action.  

The main event – The Walk for Hope – was held on October 25th and brought together employees in their pink attire to show support and participate in a parade from the ‘Ladies Lounge’ to the ‘TTV Camp’. The parade was followed by a ‘Breast Cancer Awareness’ Conference which featured motivational speeches from Tasiast leadership, International SOS (ISOS) representatives and the President of ‘Mieux Vivre avec le Cancer Gynecologique’.

Each department also participated in the annual pink decoration contest – shout out to the Process department who received first place! Employees were also encouraged to provide donations to breast cancer research, with each donor receiving a pink work shirt as a ‘thank you’ for their contributions, giving them the opportunity to continue showing support all year round. 

Kinross Tasiast also extended their resources in the local communities and hosted awareness sessions in Chami and Nouakchott to ensure local stakeholders received information on women’s health through preventative care and education. 

Check out photos below and a highlight video from Pink October here.