"You are never truly alone in the fight," says Kildare Breast Cancer Ireland Pink Run ambassador

The countdown is officially on as Breast Cancer Ireland launches the 2026 Very Pink Run, proudly supported once again by Very.

Kildare's Sarah Vaughan has been named as a Patient Ambassador for the run.

“In November 2023, my world changed when I was diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer. The words ‘you have cancer’ are ones you never forget. In that moment, everything stopped, and I was filled with fear, shock, and sadness. It all started when I discovered a lump on my left breast and felt pain in my armpit. Deep down, I knew something wasn’t right. The tests confirmed what I was dreading — breast cancer,” explains Sarah.

“But my story didn’t begin there. Just three years earlier, I lost my Mam. She too was diagnosed with cancer, but before she even had the chance to begin her treatment, she caught Covid and passed away. Losing her broke my heart. So when I heard my own diagnosis, I felt like I wasn’t only fighting for myself, but also for the chance she never got. Through every hospital visit, every treatment, and every difficult day — I carried her with me.

“My treatment was long and challenging: chemotherapy, radiotherapy, a double mastectomy, axillary clearance, and 14 rounds of Kadcyla. Each stage tested me in ways I never thought possible. There were moments that broke me, days when I felt too tired to keep going, and nights when grief for my mam mixed with fear for myself. But even in the hardest moments, I reminded myself that I was fighting for both of us.

“With the love and support of my family, friends, and medical team, I found the strength to keep moving forward. Their belief in me helped me to believe in myself. Today, I am proud to say I am six months post-treatment and cancer free. I am slowly kickstarting my beautiful life back into action — reclaiming joy, making plans, and embracing all the moments that cancer once tried to steal.

“Cancer took a lot, but it also showed me my resilience, my courage, and the power of love. My journey is not only about surviving breast cancer — it’s also about honouring my mam and carrying her memory with me as I move forward with hope. To anyone facing their own diagnosis: it’s tough, but you are stronger than you know. Take it one day at a time, lean on those around you, and remember — you are never truly alone in the fight.”

Back for another year of pink-powered fundraising, this unique and family focused feelgood event, will see three large scale live events take place across Dublin, Kilkenny and Cork between August 29 and September 6 – all in support of ground breaking breast cancer research and nationwide awareness and education programmes.

Now bigger and brighter than ever, this event is a full-on feel-good festival combining fun, fitness, community spirit and purpose. More than just a fun run, jog or walk event, it has become a nationwide movement that unites thousands of participants (men, women and children) in support of a future free from breast cancer.

Ireland’s leading breast cancer charity is now inviting people of all ages and abilities to register, don their pink, gather their friends, family, or colleagues and take part in what is Breast Cancer Ireland’s most important fundraising event of the year.

Since its inception, the Very Pink Run has grown into a truly global movement, with over 110,000 participants across 40 countries, raising a phenomenal over €8m to date. This year, the pink wave is set to sweep across Dublin on August 29, Kilkenny on 30 and Cork on September 6, with thousands more expected to lace up for one (or more!) of the events.

All three live events will offer a vibrant festival-style experience, making them a perfect family-friendly day out. Alongside the 5k & 10k run and walk routes, guests can enjoy live music, children’s entertainment, family games and a range of festival style food trucks, promising a fun filled, uplifting atmosphere from start to finish. There are no limits – and no pressure, just a shared commitment to making a difference.

At the starting line, will be a large group of very well-known faces from the worlds of Media, the Arts, and Showbiz, who have already joined this year’s ‘Very Pink Tribe’ as event Ambassadors including RTE’s Maura Derrane, Newstalk presenter Dr Ciara Kelly, Dancing with the Stars judge Karen Byrne and her fiancé, singer Jake Carter, politician Hazel Chu and influencer Jennifer Wrynne, both of whom have recently been through treatment themselves for breast cancer, alongside long standing Breast Cancer Ireland Ambassadors Elaine Crowley of Virgin Media, Rugby star Shane Byrne and presenter James Patrice.

Also lending their wholehearted support to the cause are influencers Chris Connolly, Terrie McEvoy and her husband David Fitzpatrick, along with well-known Corkonians Dr Monica Oikeh, and fitness guru Lesley Giltinan aka Lean with Lesley who will once again lead the warm up at this year’s Cork Very Pink Run event.

Participants can take part by running, jogging or walking, in one of three live large-scale physical events. Alternatively, people can also take part in a ‘virtual’ sense in their own local communities any time between 29th August and 6th September inclusively.

Registrations for the event are now open on www.verypinkrun.ie and Aisling Hurley, CEO of Breast Cancer Ireland speaking at the launch said “The Breast Cancer Ireland Very Pink Run is so much more than an annual fundraising event. It is a powerful movement that brings together thousands of people who share a common goal – creating a future where breast cancer no longer devastates lives and families.

Every participant, every donation and every kilometre completed helps to fund the research, innovation and education programmes that are changing outcomes for patients today while shaping a better future for generations to come.

Whether you choose to join us in Dublin, Kilkenny, Cork or virtually from anywhere in the world, we would encourage everyone to get involved. Pull on your pink T-shirt, rally your family, friends and colleagues, and join us as we work together to rewrite the future of breast cancer in Ireland."

Aisling continued, “I would also like to thank our valued and longstanding sponsors Very (title sponsor) and Silver Tier sponsors Cornmarket, Glanbia, Flynn O’Driscoll and Ohshima whose unrelenting support and partnership allows us to reinvest all profits from the event into our critical research, awareness and education programmes”