Paint the Town Pink raises cancer awareness

When you drive past the clock tower this month, you'll notice a display with colorful ribbons and a sign with the words "encouraging the fighters, supporting the survivors, remembering the taken." 

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County started the month with events and displays, including the one at the clock tower, to raise awareness. 

MHSC held the Green River ribbon ceremony and proclamation on Sept. 30. The display was set up and residents were invited to tie ribbons on to support cancer fighters and survivors and to honor and remember those taken by cancer. Different colors of ribbons represented different types of cancer.

"It can be any cancer that's affected your family, but we're also focused on breast cancer awareness," Lena Warren, MHSC Community Outreach Director, said. 

In addition to encouraging everyone to tie ribbons on the display, MHSC representatives were also giving out gift cards and packages for the Ladies Night Out-Xtreme Music Bingo event held online the next night, as well as scheduling mammograms and offering more information about cancer awareness. At 5:30 p.m., Mayor Pete Rust gave a proclamation recognizing Breast Cancer Awareness Month. 

A similar ribbon ceremony and proclamation was held in Rock Springs on Oct. 1.

This month, MHSC will also host the annual Paint the Town Pink Breast Cancer Awareness campaign. Businesses in Green River and Rock Springs are encouraged to decorate their storefronts in pink to support breast cancer awareness. Residents will be able to vote online for their favorite display later in the month, and winners from Green River and Rock Springs will receive a trophy.