Air Malta assists Europa Donna Malta
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an annual international health campaign organised by major breast cancer charities every October around the world. The aim of these campaigns is to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its causes.
During this month Air Malta will be again assisting Europa Donna Malta, the local charity dedicated to this cause. The aim of this fundraising campaign is to help increase attention amongst the airline’s passengers about the awareness and early detection of breast cancer as well as support for breast cancer patients.
During this month Air Malta’s cabin crew distribute pink ribbons and collect donations from passengers on selected flights to help this Maltese charity organisation. Last year €1,967 were collected from this campaign.
Air Malta customer facing staff will be wearing their pink ribbon throughout October. The donations collected help fund printing of communication material to raise awareness amongst women on the importance of choosing healthy food and practising some form of exercise. These are two important factors that may lower the risk of developing breast cancer.
Sharon Cassar Laudi, the newly elected vice president of Europa Donna Malta, thanked the national airline for its continuous support year after year. Ms Cassar Laudi said that it is only through the generosity of the public and organisations such as Air Malta that they can continue helping and supporting the community. Europa Donna Malta (formerly the Breast Care Support Group) is a voluntary non profit making NGO and has been active since 1989. Its mission is to raise awareness and support patients and families passing through the trauma of breast cancer. Throughout the year the group works very hard to organise awareness campaigns and holds talks in schools and in different places of work. The group operates a 24 X 7 support line (which can be reached by dialling 9999 4666) which handles a large number of calls throughout the year, and can also offer one-to-one counselling. All services and materials are free of charge.
This campaign also forms part of Air Malta’s Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives whereby the airline supports organisations that work hard in the Maltese community. No other airline operating to Malta provides continued support to voluntary and nongovernmental organisations like Air Malta.
This campaign is being organised with the assistance of Sky Gourmet (Malta), the airline’s catering supplier.