Disease strikes 1 in 8 women

At any other time of year, the red towing response vessels of the on-water Towboatus towing fleet are helping recreational boaters get home after their boats have broken down or run aground. However, in October, seven TowBoatUS response boats across the country have been turned pink to bring the message of Breast Cancer awareness to the water in hopes of saving lives and finding a cure for a disease that affects 1 in every 8 women.

The seven locally owned and operated companies running pink boats for October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month include TowBoatUS Boston, Massachusetts; TowBoatUS Daytona, Florida; TowBoatUS Lake Texoma, Oklahoma; TowBoatUS Mobile, Alabama; TowBoatUS Chicago, Illinois; TowBoatUS San Diego, California; and TowBoatUS Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.

According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, this year an estimated 297,790 women and 2,800 men will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. However, if caught in its earliest, localized stages, the five-year relative survival rate is 99%. Advances in early detection and treatment methods have significantly increased breast cancer survival rates in recent years, and there are currently over 3.8 million breast cancer survivors in the United States. The National Breast Cancer Foundation offers early detection tips including monthly breast self-exams and how to schedule a mammogram.

“As boating industry leaders and local community members, our local TowBoatUS towing companies wholeheartedly agree that breast cancer is worthy of our undivided attention as Breast Cancer Awareness Month approaches,” said TowBoatUS spokesperson Scott Croft. “These companies have been personally impacted by this terrible disease. Changing seven of our on-water response vessels from red to pink is a simple, impactful and meaningful effort raise awareness and seek out donations to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Coming together from all across the country to show support in our individual communities as well as a whole organization is incredibly important to us all.”

The seven pink TowBoatUS response vessels range in size from 21 to 34 feet, and will make it easy for boaters to donate to the National Breast Cancer Foundation as each are carrying special QR donation codes on their hull sides to allow boaters to make donations while on the water. Additionally, some TowBoatUS companies are adding local outreach efforts including TowBoatUS San Diego hosting a Paddleboard Poker Run fundraiser on October 7.

NOTE TO MEDIA:

Quotes from the 7 individual TowBoatUS companies operating pink towing vessels during October for Breast Cancer Awareness Month are available by going to https://www.boatus.com/news-room/release/quotes-from-7-individual-towboatus-companies.  In addition to company quotes, photos and video of the vessels are available by contacting Scott Croft, BoatUS Public Affairs, [email protected], 703-461-2864. Interviews are also available.

Suggested social media post:

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About TowBoatUS:

Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) is the nation’s leading advocacy, services and safety group for recreational boaters. We are the Boat Owners Auto Club and provide our nearly 800,000 members with a wide array of helpful services, including 24-hour on-water towing that gets you safely home when your boat won’t, jump-starts, fuel delivery, and soft ungroundings. The TowBoatUS towing fleet is North America’s largest network of towing ports with more than 300 locations and over 600 red towboats, responding to more than 90,000 requests for assistance each year. The BoatUS App makes it easy to summon water and road assistance 24/7 and can speed response times (BoatUS.com/App). For more information go to BoatUS.com/Towing.