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Interview with Estée Lauder’s Breast Cancer Awareness Spokesmodel, Elizabeth Hurley
By Tammy | October 7, 2009
You probably know it’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month. You see the pink ribbons every where. You may have been on a support walk raising money for the cause. Maybe you have purchased one of the inspiring PINK products that so many awesome companies are selling to raise money for the cause. It’s an amazing and beautiful thing that brands and consumers are doing in an effort to fight this terrible disease that seems to rock our worlds more and more these days.
One mom, who has been behind this effort for 14 years is model/actress/business woman, Elizabeth Hurley. Her name and face are well known for her work with Breast Cancer Awareness. The following interview is not one that I did personally but one that I think is a great testimony of how one person or one company can make a huge impact on our world. Elizabeth shares why she is involved in The Estée Lauder Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign and what makes it different than other campaigns.
I thought you’d be interested in reading it and hope it provides you with inspiration and motivation to get involved. You and I may not have the massive impact that Elizabeth Hurley and Estée Lauder have but we do have the power to educate ourselves, others and buy a $22 lip collection to support the cause!
What is your role with The Estée Lauder Companies’ Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign?
Each October, I join Evelyn Lauder and spend the majority of my time traveling around the world raising awareness for breast health and funds for breast cancer research. We’ve visited many U.S. cities, as well as the U.K., Ireland, Amsterdam, Australia, India and Italy and reached billions of people with our awareness message. We also visit numerous retailers and do Personal Appearances because we want everyone to know that if a breast cancer is detected early, its 98% curable. Our retail partners sell our Pink Ribbon products, including Estée Lauder’s Elizabeth Hurley Lip Design Collection, which includes the Elizabeth Pink lipstick, a lip pencil and a beautiful lip gloss, to raise funds for research. I love this Collection and wear it regularly. The best part is that it benefits
The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
Every spring, Evelyn Lauder hosts an annual gala in New York City for The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization founded by Mrs. Lauder in 1993. At the gala I serve as Mistress of Ceremonies and Sir Elton John is always involved with the event. In April 2009, the gala was called “Putting on the Pink” and the one and only Liza Minnelli was the featured performer. The event raised an impressive $3.7 million for The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
When did you get involved with the Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign?
In 2000, Evelyn Lauder asked me to join her to launch The Estée Lauder Companies’ Global Landmarks Illumination Initiative. Since then, Evelyn and I have traveled to many countries bathing gorgeous landmarks in pink lights to raise awareness for breast health. This year marks our 10th Anniversary of the Illumination Initiative. We illuminated over 200 landmarks alone in 2008, including the Tower of London in the U.K., Los Angeles International Airport in the U.S.A., the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel in Mumbai, the Concert Hall in Amsterdam and the Tokyo Tower in Japan, among many others. Our main goal in this initiative is to inspire woman all over the world to have their breasts checked regularly and to get a mammogram every year if over the age of 40.
Why is raising breast cancer awareness so important to you?
When Evelyn Lauder came to me in 2000 and asked me to join her, my Grandmother had recently died of breast cancer so it was a cause very close to my heart. This is a disease that knows no boundaries and does not discriminate, touching everyone in every country. We all know someone – a grandmother, friend, mother, aunt, sister, cousin and co-worker – who has battled cancer. Now more than ever it is important to get the message out and tell every woman to see their doctors regularly and get a mammogram every year if over the age of 40. Survival rates are rising and each year we get closer and closer to a cure for this disease. We now know that if a breast cancer is detected early, it is 98% curable.
What is one of the best parts of being a Spokesperson for The Estée Lauder Companies’ Breast
Cancer Awareness Campaign?
It’s very moving for us when we visit different cities around the world and meet so many people who have been affected by breast cancer in one way or another. Often it will be women who have breast cancer, or have had breast cancer, or have family members who have either survived breast cancer or sadly have not survived breast cancer. Sometimes men are also in line and when this happens, there is a very good chance that their mother, wife or girlfriend has been stricken by the disease. It is very powerful to meet these people and see first hand their inner strength. It makes us realize over and over again that our goal for reaching as many people with our awareness message and raising as much money as possible to find a cure is helping and at some point this will be a thing
of the past.
What makes this year’s Campaign different from past years?
This year marks the 10th Anniversary of The Estée Lauder Companies’ Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign’s Global Landmark Illumination initiative. It’s wonderful to see an idea that started with a handful of illuminations in 2000, has now grown to more than 200 illuminations around the world each year.
Now more than ever, we must make sure our message is heard far and wide. Our 2009 Campaign theme is World Pink. World Without Breast Cancer.™ Wear a Pink Ribbon. Make a Difference. We are sending the message that one country or one person cannot do it alone. We must unite together with the message that early detection saves lives. In 2009, more than 70 countries will be participating in the BCA Campaign with the goal of reaching billions and letting men and women know that if a breast cancer is detected early, it’s 98% curable. As I state in my Public Service Announcement, ‘Join us. You can make a difference in your life and in the lives of those important to you.’
What has it been like working with Evelyn Lauder?
Evelyn Lauder is very inspirational and has the most amazing energy. She has a work ethic like I’ve never seen and she’s a very kind and giving person and friend. We travel around the world and she seems to know everyone who works at the Estée Lauder counter! It is very wonderful for me to be working so closely with someone like Evelyn, who is tireless and fearless in her fight to eradicate this disease and help find a cure.
About Elizabeth Hurley:
Elizabeth lives between Gloucestershire, London and Mumbai, India with her seven year-old son Damian, her husband Arun and an assortment of animals. Elizabeth has represented Estée Lauder as Spokesmodel for the past fourteen years, making this one of the world’s longest running beauty contracts. Since 2000, she has toured the United States and other parts of the world with Evelyn Lauder raising awareness for breast health on behalf of The Estée Lauder Companies’ Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign. Estée Lauder created the “Elizabeth Hurley Lip Design Collection” that includes Elizabeth Pink lipstick, a lip liner, and a beautiful lip gloss to be sold September-October 2009 to raise funds for The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
*This interview is part of the The Estee Lauder Companies’ 2009 Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign Kick Off Press Kit.
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Topics: Beauty of a Heart | 4 Comments »
October 7th, 2009 at 2:58 am
Such a worth while cause and gorgeous products! I will def be buying some!
October 7th, 2009 at 8:11 am
I know, I love that lip set! Did you see the gorgeous compact as well? http://www.esteelauder.com/pinkribbon/index.tmpl?secparam=what_you_can_do&pagparam=1
So classy!
October 7th, 2009 at 11:40 am
Elizabeth is a great spokesperson for this campaign. Raising awareness and prompting early screening is what it’s all about. Here’s an easy way to help raise awareness: check out these 30 sec breast cancer related videos — http://www.ahamoment.com/pg/voting?moment=pmbbmea — and click to vote for one or all. The top vote getters in the contest will be aha moment TV commercials next year. Some more media exposure for the cause would be a good thing.
Thanks,
jack@ahamoment.com
October 8th, 2009 at 9:35 am
A great news piece on Breast Cancer Awareness, and they have a wonderful giveaway whose products’ proceeds go to research! Tons of Estee Lauder! Check it out here at AskMelissa.com
http://tinyurl.com/yaed3qd