The Half-Way-Tree Transport Centre was transformed into a sea of pink on Friday as Black Ink Marketing and Events kick-started its breast cancer awareness celebration and health campaign.

“This is our pink day celebration and we just wanted to push all Jamaicans, both women and men, to go out and get screened for the disease,” said CEO of the marketing company, Maxine Miller-Burkett.

“We’re not only promoting cancer awareness today (Friday) but also a change of lifestyle through fitness and healthy eating,” she added.

Renowned gospel singer and breast cancer survivor Carlene Davis Cowan also performed at the event on Friday. She told the Jamaica Observer that she was “excited” to be part of the event.

“I’m really thankful that I’m here to encourage persons to be proactive in overcoming breast cancer. I hope in the next few years the cure will be found and the next generation won’t have go through this,” she said.

Davis Cowan survived cancer in 1996 and dedicated her 2004 album, Author and Finisher, to the cause. Part proceeds from the album sales went to cancer societies.

It was a party-like atmosphere in the transport centre on Friday, as energetic dancers were also on hand to entertain supporters, who were mostly decked out in pink.

A number of wellness and health booths — including Lasco’s Curves, a feminine product line, which partnered with the Nurses’ Association of Jamaica — were set up to lend their support and provide information about breast cancer.

“We’re here to offer support in any way we can,” said Lasco Curves Brand Manager Renee Rose.

Meanwhile, sales promoter for Curves, Nadesia Watson Smith, informed that the nurses at the booth were there to give blood pressure checks as well as engage patrons on how to check their breasts for signs of cancer.

Breast cancer is the leading cancer among Jamaican women. Also, it said that every 19 seconds somewhere in the world a case of breast cancer is diagnosed among women.