Pink Ribbon Breakfast 2020

Pink Ribbon Breakfast 2020 A Commendable Sydney Indian Community Initiative

The colour pink symbolizes health, vitality, compassion & the power of femininity. It is the color of universal love of oneself and of others. It represents friendship, affection, harmony, inner peace, and approachability. Pink is the official color for girls & women.

By: Mr Bachan Sharma Photo Credit : Harmohan Walia

Breast Cancer, on the other hand, is a monster threatening feminism. It needs to be stopped causing deaths through timely diagnosis, treatment, education, and research.

Pink Ribbon Breakfast are events that are organized by community members to achieve these laudable objectives and raise funds for research. Good Samaritans from the community are encouraged to

organize such events with friends, family, and workmates getting together, enjoying themselves, and help towards a vision of zero deaths from breast cancer. In 2020, Pink Ribbon Breakfast events aim to raise $1.5 million to fund research into the effective prevention, detection, and treatment of breast cancer.

Pink Ribbon was started by Rekha Rajvanshi, a breast cancer Survivor, 9 years ago. Rekha then asked Sue Advani,

who also survived breast cancer, to join the team and they do it together every year with other organising committee members - Meena Mohanty and Bharti Gidwani. The goal of Pink Ribbon Breakfast is to raise funds for National Breast Cancer Foundation and to raise awareness about the importance of going for the mammogram as early detection can save women’s lives.

About 130 women dressed in pink attire and about 20 men with a touch of pink

joined the breakfast. Amongst dignitaries were Mrs Nimeesha Gupta (our Consul General’s wife), Hon Dr Geoff Lee, Hon Jodi Mackay, MP Julia Finn, Clr Sameer Pandey, Clr Lisa Kate.

Sue and Rekha welcomed everyone and the program started with a prayer song by Richa Srivastava following Indian traditions. Vrushali Desai, a young Breast Cancer Survivor shared her story of how

she thought she’s fit until her lump was detected. The message of regular check-ups was loud and clear to everyone. Sri Hindi Choir group sang beautiful inspiring songs. Program’s highlight was the fashion show choreographed by Shikha Kaushik. Models dressed in black & white, representing old era of Bollywood songs entered on the tune of an old song ‘Mud Mud ke Na Dekhh.’ The song was chosen carefully for the occasion saying we don’t need to look at our past worries. We need to stay strong, face challenges bravely and move on in life.

Breast cancer is the most common life-threatening cancer facing Australian women, with approximately eight women dying from the disease each day — mothers, sisters, wives, daughters and friends. No doubt that such social events play an important role in conveying the message across in wider diaspora.

Wishing everyone A Very Happy

The main topic of discusssion at the moment is covid restriction . Little did we realise the positive impact it is having on families for Diwali celebrations .

Diwali celebrations is all about family getting together , having fun and celebrating .

This is exactly what covid is doing to us . It is bringing only families together as numbers are restricted for others .

We are so looking forward to a private cosy intimate Diwali celebrations with the few family members we have here, limiting it to 20 allowed .

Happy Diwali everyone !

Nita Tana

“Every year, with the blessings of our Guruji Param Pujya Sant Bhagwant Sahebiji, I celebrate Diwali with my Anoopam Mission family and participate in Lakshmi Puja and Chopda Pujan, the Anoopam Mission family also makes hundreds of delicious pure vegetarian dishes for Annakut”. This year it will be a virtual Diwali celebration.

Dipen Rughani

COVID-19 pandemic has changed everything this year. There are no Diwali Fairs or dinners. We will celebrate Diwali only with the family. The whole house will be lit with Diyas (oil lamps, made from clay, and with a cotton wick dipped in ghee) and there will be Puja (worshipping), Havan (sacred offerings into a consecrated fire), sweets and FULJHADI (sparkler) for the kids. We will exchange sweets with close friends and exchange Diwali greetings with relatives and friends. There will be a lot more family quality time this Diwali. We will pray for an effective vaccine and cure for the virus, which will allow the economy to open and social life to be fully back to normal. Happy Diwali to everyone.

Dr. Yadu Singh

(Sydney Cardiologist and President of Federation of Indian Associations of NSW)

Though the physical celebrations of Diwali will not be the same during this pandemic, but the spirit of Diwali will be just the same. We hope to share the values and discipline of this Festival of Lights with our loved ones most importantly our future leaders. Wishing everyone a very Happy Diwali. It is such a wonderful time to reflect, reset and revive.

Sonia Sadiq Gandhi

Deepavali is a time for get togbether with extended family and friends with lots of sweet, smile, crackers and feast. The only thing which we miss here in Australia is Crackers. Nothing can stop us on all these, How can COVID-19 ?. Happy Deepavali.

Even in the darkest of nights there is a light to be found on Diwali. This year Covid made everybody’s life hard. Humanity has learned a lot for it and we all forced to follow new norms. In line with these new norms I will not be arranging or attending any community Diwali functions this year. While we can not celebrate big community functions or burn crackers, but we can surely burn the evil within us spread goodness all over. I hope 2021 will be better for all with less stress and more happiness. Enjoy Happy Diwali with family. I will be doing so with my first Grandson. Wishing all Happy Diwali 2020

Aruna Chandrala

Anagan Babu

Diwali greetings to all the readers of Desi Australia. We will be celebrating Diwali by visiting Glenwood Gurdwara sahib and by sharing sweets with friends. At Blacktown city council we celebrate Diwali with lighting competition in the city. Stay safe, stay healthy

Dr Moninder Singh

Blacktown City Council