How Cathay supports breast cancer awareness with Fly Pink

If you’re flying with Cathay Pacific this month, you might notice a subtle but meaningful detail on our pilots’ uniforms: pink epaulettes. Far from a laundry mishap, these shoulder stripes are a proud symbol of our commitment to the Fly Pink campaign, an annual initiative that raises awareness of breast cancer, the most prevalent cancer globally and the second most common in Hong Kong.

Fly Pink was founded in 2015 by pilots at QantasLink, Australian airline Qantas’s regional brand, inspired by a colleague’s diagnosis. “Pilot communities often span across airlines,” explains Captain Jolene Verwey, who flies Cathay Pacific Cargo’s Boeing 747 freighters. “We’re connected, we talk and we decided to launch our own Cathay Pacific fundraiser.”

Since then, Cathay Pacific’s Fly Pink efforts have included creative fundraising – from seat sales on the final Boeing 747 passenger flight in 2016 to sponsorships for events, such as the annual Pink Walk – where pink-clad participants complete a 3.5km walk around Victoria Peak. Proceeds benefit the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation, which champions early screening, education, quality treatment and destigmatisation of the disease.

This year, the campaign is expanding across the Cathay Pacific Group, with colleagues from HK Express and Air Hong Kong (DHL Express’s overnight parcel carrier) joining the cause. Captain Verwey, who leads a dedicated team of about 15 volunteers, has hope for the fundraising momentum, especially from group events, such as the Pink Walk.

“Our main fundraising is in-house,” she says. “We sell merchandise that ranges from teddy bears to shopping tote bags, along with Fly Pink epaulettes and badges.“For three weeks, we run a pop-up shop along our headquarters Cathay City’s main street and also have a booth at dispatch with an honesty box for crew contributions.”

With committed support and renewed energy, the team is aiming for a standout year. As October leads into November, attention will shift to men’s health with the Movember campaign. If you’re flying with us next month, keep an eye out – this time for something just above our pilots’ upper lips.

Learn more about the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation here .