Saia, Komen foundation team up to paint

It doesn’t have to be October for locals to paint the world pink for breast cancer.

For the past year, Saia Motors has been on the road with Susan G. Komen for the Cure – literally.

Saia, which was founded and has a terminal in Houma, joined the fight against breast cancer a year ago with its own breast cancer awareness campaign. The Georgia-based company allowed one of its transport trucks to be painted pink with artwork and designs to raise awareness about breast cancer, and the need for a cure.

“Unfortunately, it is hard to find someone whose life hasn’t been touched by breast cancer,” said Sally Buchholz, Saia’s vice president of marketing and customer services. “Whether they were directly affected or watched a loved one battle this devastating disease, both the physical and emotional impact of breast cancer are tremendous.”

Saia has done plenty of charitable work in the past, but not anything to this degree, said spokeswoman Jeannie Jump.

“We wanted something that would really stick out that people would notice,” said Saia Motors of Houma terminal manager Kim Hebert. “I think we have really accomplished our goal.”

The pink truck started its journey across America last May. The truck reached the Houma-Thibodaux area last week.

Local drivers got behind the wheel of the 53-foot truck to make their daily deliveries.

“It’s great that the truck is here in Houma,” Hebert said. “We have gotten so many compliments on it. This area has always been big on breast cancer awareness, and this is just one more thing to make them conscious of the disease.”

Though October is designated as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Saia officials said people should be reminded of the tremendous strides that have been made in the fight against breast cancer.

Two decades ago, Nancy G. Brinker, sister of Susan G. Komen, promised her dying sister that she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever.

That promise led to the founding of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure organization in 1982. The non-profit launched a nationwide breast cancer awareness movement to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find cures for breast cancer.

Today, the organization is the largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists in the country.

The foundation estimated that in 2008, 182,460 women in the U.S. would be diagnosed with breast cancer, and 40,480 women would die from the disease. While all women are at risk of developing the disease, early detection can play a key role in lowering the risk of mortality.

On the Saia Web site, www.saia.com, there is a link to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation. Every time an Internet browser clicks on the link, Saia donates 10 cents to the Susan G. Komen foundation.

“We have a lot of helpful information and messages (online) from breast cancer survivors and family stories of people who have lost someone to the battle against breast cancer,” she said.

The company will donate up to $40,000, Jump said. To date, they have donated $30,000.

Using the pink truck as a traveling breast cancer awareness billboard was just another way to contribute.

“It is kind of our leverage because it is a campaign that you would not ordinarily associate with the industry,” Jump said. “Putting the two together, we think it draws more attention to breast cancer, and the importance of cancer research, self-examination and yearly breast exams.”

With national fundraisers like the Komen Race for the Cure run, the organization has raised over $1 billion for breast cancer research so that Brinker’s promise can become a reality one day.

However, until that times comes, companies like Saia Motors will continue to help spread the word about the importance of early detection for breast cancer.