Why are Central Valley officers wearing pink patches?

CLOVIS, Calif. ( KSEE/KGPE ) – Clovis Community Medical Center kicked off Breast Cancer Awareness Month on Monday with its Pink Patch Campaign event. The annual ceremony is hosted to raise awareness for breast cancer.

According to Katie Zenovich, Senior Vice President for Development and External Affairs at Community Health System, the campaign is a joint effort made by the Community Health System and local law enforcement officers.

“It started as like a little seed of an idea,” Zenovich said. “We had about 11,12 departments, and today here we are six years later, and we’ve raised $600,000 in that time frame. And we have 20 different law enforcement agencies partnered with us.”

This year, about 20 breast cancer survivors received makeovers from Ulta Beauty and their own pink patches as a way to celebrate and uplift them. The pink patches were distributed by law enforcement officers who will also be wearing special patches throughout the month.

Zenovich explained that it is a way to engage others in a larger conversation about the facts surrounding breast cancer and potentially make an impact on more lives.

“What the pink patch on an officer’s arm is doing is actually creating awareness. They’re hoping that they can save lives this way by telling people, ‘Look, I’m wearing a pink patch and I’m going to ask you to go get your mammogram done.’ I’m going to say, ‘If you go do that, hopefully that will save your life,'” she said.

It is a tradition Madera Police Chief Giachino Chiaramonte said law enforcement enjoys being a part of every year.

“We’re celebrating survivors, survivors of breast cancer,” he noted. “Cancer affects everyone, and it’s not just specific to a specific culture or person. It affects everyone, affects every community. And so we want to provide not just support and let them know how much we love them, but also financial support we need to find a cure for this.”

Agnieszka Street was one of the women honored at this year’s ceremony.

“It was hard to hold back tears,” Agnieszka said. “Because of the community, how supported I felt and how amazing it felt that there are so many people out there touched by this disease and they are willing to step in and help us survivors and help those who are just learning that they have been affected.”

For those who may have a family member or friend battling cancer, or if you’ve been diagnosed, Street shared a message:

“Be stubborn, but in a good way. Be stubborn, not to give up. Not to give up and continue to fight and to keep on going.”

The following departments are participating in this year’s Pink Patch Campaign:

• Clovis Police Department
• Clovis Police Officers’ Association
• Community Health System Security
• Fowler Police Department
• Fresno County District Attorney’s Office
• Fresno County District Attorney’s Office Bureau of Investigations
• Fresno County Probation Department
• Fresno County Sheriff’s Department
• Fresno Police Department
• Fresno State Police Department
• Fresno Yosemite International Airport Police Department
• Kerman Police Department
• Kingsburg Police Department
• Madera County Probation Department
• Madera Police Department
• Madera County Sheriff’s Office
• Orange Cove Police Department
• Reedley Police Department
• Sanger Police Department
• State Center Community College District Police Department

In addition, all of the patches have a different design and are unique to each law enforcement agency.

The money raised by the patches will go toward awareness and funds for the Marjorie E. Radin Breast Care Center at Clovis Community Medical Center. Those who would like to order a pink patch can click here .

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