Home > Community > Be Pink It’s important for us at American to put our support behind causes that are meaningful to our employees and one that we are most moved by is Be Pink. So many of our team members have been impacted by breast cancer that we have taken a collective stand to join in the fight. This year’s Be Pink campaign marks the first time the combined airline has joined forces for a cause — and it shows. Throughout the month of October, our team of 100,000 strong will once again don pink uniform items, lace up their tennis shoes and stand up for the fight against cancer. It is my hope that each one of us does our part to raise awareness and support research to fight breast cancer.
To launch this effort, we brought in 20 employee breast cancer survivors to Fort Worth, Texas, to participate in a photo shoot. You can see their photos and hear their stories here, and I know you’ll draw inspiration from each of them. While these 20 are from diverse backgrounds, work groups and locations, American knows that many of you have fought back against this disease and this effort is for you, too.
— Elise Eberwein
Executive Vice President – People & Communications
This disease does not discriminate — from different ages to different backgrounds. As I listened to my colleagues, I felt it was my story being told. We all go through the same thing but deal with it differently. In the end, we all felt we are stronger because of our journey.
Stay strong. Your attitude has a lot to do with it. Faith erases fear, so my faith really got me through it.
Cancer knows no boundaries — it can choose men, women, young, old, any race. We need to be aware that cancer can make its way into our lives in many different ways. You can be the survivor, the caregiver, the family member, the partner, the friend. But whatever role you play, there is support out there for you.”
Be patient with yourself, embrace
the love that is around you and stay encouraged.
Sharing your thoughts and experiences with others is a great tool to help educate others about how YOU need to take control of your life. With a positive attitude, love
and support, you can win the fight against cancer.
Remember: I (we) may have cancer, but cancer does not have me (us)!
The Be Pink campaign provides an awareness to those that are not aware. It’s a reminder for those of us who have gone through it. My thing is to help those on the battlefield — that’s what I do at work. I help those that are on the battlefield so they can in turn, turn around and help someone else on the battlefield.
It was amazing to me how a group of people from different locations and roles within the company could come together and almost immediately form a bond. While each of us has had a unique, personal journey, we all had in common one of the hardest yet most eye opening life experiences.
You just have to be positive. That’s what helped me through this is to think positive. It’s a phase that you’re going through and it’s just going to go away. And you will be fine.
It is difficult to go through all the process of breast cancer, and what I learned of this great experience was how I have learned to live each day and leave the past behind. It is wonderful to see so many strong women around me [while participating in the Be Pink campaign] and you can see in her faces their courage to fight.
It’s been very meaningful to me that almost every employee wears pink the month of October — in all work groups, which means that someone they know has been touched by this disease. And that the company I work for cares enough to do something to make a difference.
This is the cause/campaign that I am passionate about. I am a SURVIVOR and I want a CURE, in order to find a cure we need your support. We need to spread the word and make people understand that right now early detection and proper treatment is the key to survival.
I was scared of the possible outcome at first. The more I armed myself with knowledge, understanding, strength of family and friends, and leaned on my faith I became fearless, the journey made me a stronger, and in a way a much better person.
How blessed I am to be surrounded by such strong and amazing colleagues. My journey was not a simple one, yet hearing some of their stories made me realize theirs were tougher wars to fight and that I needed to continue to fight. One thing though, we all have kept our faith through each trial and tribulation of the cancer battle we each shared.
Never give up — never give up! Live each moment as it comes, and as it passes, reflect on it when those times are hard. It will get you through.
I was originally misdiagnosed. I was sent home from the doctor because I was too young and too fit to have cancer. … Since being diagnosed I have been unwavering in my goal to educate everyone because I believe women and men are dying because they aren’t educated.
I felt confident that I would beat this and confident that everything would be better. It doesn’t matter your age or your sex, it’s out there and there’s a great support system when people see that you’re part of it.
Put on your armor and your running shoes — you are about to start your race against the fight of cancer. Your armor is your faith, protecting you when disbelief tries to attack you. Your running shoes are your strength and power to fight and push on.
The new American is making a difference by giving support and hope to the women and men facing this disease.
I am honored to be a part of this beautiful campaign that brings not only support and awareness to breast cancer, but also helps to inspire more women andmen to share their experience and know that we are not alone, we all have a special bond with each other.
In select Admirals Club locations, the purchase of certain pink menu items will result in a 10 percent donation. With your purchase of M&M’S® Brand Almond Chocolate Candies, $0.50 cents of each sale (up to $30,000) will be donated in support of breast cancer research. We are also featuring Minute Maid Pink Lemonade this month as one of our complimentary beverages. Special thanks to American’s Wi-Fi supplier, GoGo, for turning our Wi-Fi pages pink throughout the month of October. Their support helps spread awareness of our collaborative fight against breast cancer. The American Airlines Miles of Hope program provides worldwide support for organizations that help supply the basic needs of the most vulnerable population. Focusing on food, clothing, shelter, health, education and employment, the program works to benefit organizations that provide a strategic focus on children and/or those afflicted by unexpected adversity.
American’s Miles for the Cure® program raises funds to support a study of inflammatory breast cancer (the most lethal form of the disease) through a research grant at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. Miles for the cure awards customers AAdvantage miles for every dollar they contribute to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure.