Bakersfield proclaims October 2025 'Paint the Town Pink' month for breast cancer awareness

Mayor Karen Goh presented a proclamation Sept. 24 declaring October 2025 as Paint the Town Pink month in Bakersfield and recognized Links for Life for more than 30 years of local service to people affected by breast cancer.

Jennifer Henry, executive director of Links for Life, accepted the proclamation and introduced staff and volunteers. She said the organization provided support groups to 593 survivors and family members in the past year, assisted more than 1,500 visitors to its office, funded 256 mammograms and ultrasounds and five needle biopsies, and had diagnosed two women who otherwise would have gone without screening.

Henry also announced a new collaborative pilot grant with Cedars-Sinai to study transition challenges for breast cancer survivors five to ten years post-treatment and asked council and the community to participate in interviews for the project. Links for Life also promoted an October 4 walk event at Riverwalk Park and a hot-pink gala Oct. 24 at Luigi's to raise awareness and funds.

Clarifying details: Links for Life reported the service numbers above and described efforts to secure a mobile mammography unit (noted cost concerns); Henry said a mobile unit can cost roughly half a million dollars but specifics and funding sources were not provided to council at the hearing.

Ending: The proclamation recognizes local outreach and fundraising; Links for Life requested community participation in upcoming events and in the new survivorship research pilot.