COWDENBEATH MSP Annabelle Ewing has shown support for women affected by breast cancer by dressing up in pink and encouraging her constituents to take part in the UK’s biggest, brightest and pinkest fundraiser, wear it pink, on Friday October 21.

Wear it pink is back for its 15th year, calling on supporters across the country to add a flash of pink to their wardrobe for the day and raise money for Breast Cancer Now’s life-saving breast cancer research.

Ms Ewing joined fellow parliamentarians in Holyrood to encourage people across Scotland to get involved and help support Breast Cancer Now’s efforts to ensure that, by 2050, everyone who develops breast cancer lives – an ambition shared by the Scottish Government and all party leaders in Scotland.

Wear it pink raises close to £2 million each year for world-class research into breast cancer, and this year it’s going to be pinker and more fun than ever before. Anyone can take part, whether at work, at home or at school. All you have to do is wear something pink and donate what you can.

Ms Ewing said: “Around 4,600 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in Scotland. Almost 1,000 people die from the disease. We must act now to stop this devastating disease in its tracks.

“Breast Cancer Now’s cutting edge research is making a huge difference. But we all need to join forces and act now, to do our bit to stop women dying from breast cancer by 2050. I’m fully behind the charity’s ambition and I support wear it pink.

“I hope everyone in the local community will join me by wearing it pink on Friday October 21 and show their support for Breast Cancer Now.”

Breast Cancer Now’s Director for Scotland, Mary Allison, said: “I’m delighted that MSPs are coming together again this year to support wear it pink. Their continued support means a lot.

“More Scots are being diagnosed with breast cancer than a decade ago and it remains the most common cancer among women. We also know that while huge progress has been made in improving survival, almost 1,000 people a year in Scotland still die from this devastating disease.

“That’s why we need to continue to support research and find better ways to prevent, detect and treat breast cancer.”