BOROUGHWIDE — Maimonides Medical Center held its sixth annual Pink Runway fashion show on Wednesday, Nov. 13, at the iconic New York dance club, Marquee. All proceeds from the event will benefit breast cancer awareness, treatment and research at the hospital’s Breast Imaging Center of Excellence — Brooklyn’s first free-standing, full-service, nationally-recognized breast care facility.
All the models who participated in the Pink Runway fashion show are breast cancer survivors. Sixteen women of all ages, sizes and ethnicities walked the runway in designer evening wear to benefit breast cancer awareness and celebrate life.
The evening paid tribute to a distinguished slate of honorees. Guests of honor Anne Eisenhower and Adriana Echavarria-Eisenhower were presented with the Pink Hope Award; Dr. Lloyd Gayle, chief of plastic surgery at Maimonides, received the Pink Hero Award; Brooklyn entrepreneur Anthony Pennachio was given the Pink Warrior Award; and Ines Rosales of Fox5 Good Day New York received the Pink Partner Award.
This year, Pink Runway teamed up with the fashion innovators and curators at RenttheRunway.com, who provided a handpicked selection of 20 beautiful dresses from the world’s leading high-end designers.
Maimonides patients and survivors proudly showed off the designer threads in an effort to prove that cancer cannot and will not defeat their fighting spirit during one of the most difficult battles a person can wage. The overall message was that cancer can be fought and beaten and these heroic individuals with their upbeat attitudes are the living proof.
“Breast cancer isn’t for sissies. Every single woman who walks the Pink Runway is an inspirational warrior and role model,” said Dr. Patrick Borgen, chair of surgery at Maimonides and director of the Breast Center. “We are excited and proud to host this special evening in their honor and show the world what true beauty and endurance look like.”
Heshy Augenbaum, vice president and chief development officer, echoed Borgen’s sentiments. “There is only one Pink Runway, and only one Maimonides, and they are both about saving and celebrating life,” said Augenbaum. “There is no better time and no better place to support the fight against breast cancer for women in Brooklyn and beyond.”