‘Real men wear pink’.

This is the slogan of one of the biggest cancer awareness events in America, organised by the National Football League.

‘A Crucial Catch’ is the NFL’s annual event aimed to raise awareness throughout the country – and the globe- based on their campaign to increase their international audience.

The campaign involves players, coaches and officials wearing customized pink game attire, which is then auctioned off to raise money for the American Cancer Society.

Bids of $1,800 and $3,500 have been made for a Reggie Bush signed game-worn jersey, and a Vernon Davis signed game-worn jersey respectively. An Aaron Rodgers signed game-worn jersey recently sold for just shy of the $30,000 mark which is an example of the campaign’s potential financial reach.

Closer to home pink is main theme of many companies who are also trying to do their own bit for cancer awareness throughout October.

The chain store Harvey Norman have also begun their pink campaign, with staff illuminating the stores in fresh pink polo shirts.

The company is in its third year of a partnership with the Marie Keating Foundation – which has released its new brand campaign ‘sleep pink’.

Harvey Norman are expecting to raise €30,000 for the charity.

“It is a great cause to get behind”, said Administration Manager Glenda Finlay, “we are expecting to raise 30 grand, but hopefully we get more than that and it gets closer to 40.

“We are doing all the ‘sleep pink’ products and we are also encouraging the ‘add a euro’ system at the tills to encourage customers to add a euro to their sale as a form of donation.”

The Irish Cancer Society have joined up with various Irish companies to create a group of ‘pink partners’.

Centra have designed a ‘Pink Bag for Life‘ available for €3, with all the proceeds  going towards breast cancer research.

The store also plans to donate proceeds generated from their own brand Pink Bouquets of Flowers and Potted Plants, Pink Milk, Pink Lady Apples and Punnets of Mushrooms.

Some of the other companies involved in the ‘Pink Partners’ scheme include: Ballyfree Eggs, Barry’s Tea, Boots, Esso and GHD.

The Irish Cancer Society is also hosting a Halloween masquerade ball at the Shelbourne Hotel, Stephen’s Green on November 1st.

A single tickets is €85, but tables of 10 and 12 are available for purchase. The night includes a 3 course silver service meal and entertainment from The Nualas.

The hope is that the event will go towards making up for the sizeable shortfall in funds raised on Daffodil Day earlier this year, which was hampered due to typical Irish weather.