Trash Talk

Sandy’s Story – 24 year Breast Cancer Survivor and The Pink Cart

June 14, 2010 – 12:28 PM

Tell us your story about how breast cancer has impacted your life. Send it to info@pinkcart.com – we’ll select stories to post here and send each published contributor a free 35-gallon Pink Cart.

When Pink Carts first started rolling off the presses, there were a handful of people we knew had to have one right away. They were our friends and family, survivors and caregivers. They shared their excitement and their pictures with us, happy to be involved in raising awareness and funding to fight breast cancer. Among these many supporters was Sandy, a 24-year breast cancer survivor. When we delivered her Pink Cart to her home, she offered us a cup of tea and her story.

Diagnosed in 1986, Sandy had breast cancer at a time when pink ribbons weren’t as widely recognized, and the disease and its treatment weren’t as well understood as they are today. She was 43 and had so much going on at home that her annual breast health screening and mammogram were the last things on her mind. Knowing she was under a lot of stress, Sandy’s doctor called her and strongly encouraged her to come in for her annual appointment and to get a mammogram. Sandy listened and that day her doctor discovered a tumor in her right breast.

Sandy had an invasive case of breast cancer that had metastasized to her blood vessels. At the time, chemotherapy was only prescribed for women whose lymph nodes had been affected. So even though her cancer was invasive, Sandy did not undergo chemo or radiation treatments. Instead she had a modified radical mastectomy; a procedure where the tumor, lymph nodes and tissue are removed but the muscle remains intact. With the support of her family and her church community, she fought successfully and in 1987 her cancer was in remission.

Five years cancer-free is seen as a major milestone for survivors in remission. In 2010, Sandy celebrates her 24th anniversary of life after breast cancer and is forever grateful for her doctor’s phone call all those years ago – without it, Sandy’s cancer may not have been caught in time. She’s now active in breast cancer awareness activities in her community – volunteering for fundraising walks, participating in support groups, and most recently rolling a Pink Cart to her curb every week on trash day. Sandy feels passionately about doing her part to contribute to awareness building and support resources for women and their families dealing with breast cancer, resources she didn’t have when she was fighting the disease.

Today, nonprofit organizations such as the American Cancer Society (ACS) offer services such as Hope Lodge, where cancer patients and their families are offered a free, temporary place to stay while undergoing treatment. You can find ACS support services in your community at www.cancer.org.

Many women still are not fully aware of the importance of breast health and most will not receive reminder phone calls as Sandy did. We need to do more and you can help us! Join Sandy and Tell us your story about how breast cancer has impacted your life. Write us your story and send it to info@pinkcart.com – we’ll select stories to post on the Pink Cart blog and send each published contributor a free 35-gallon Pink Cart.

Use your voice to make a statement about the need to continue to build awareness, provide resources for fighters, and to find a cure so that our wives, mothers, sisters, and friends are not lost to this disease. Share your story to build awareness of breast cancer risk factors and the importance of regular breast health screenings. Write to us today and roll a Pink Cart to your curb to show your support for the fight against breast cancer.

By The Pink Cart | Posted in Breast Cancer Awareness | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Roll a Pink Cart from spring into summer.

May 20, 2010 – 9:47 AM

Summer hasn’t yet arrived on the calendar but nesting birds, sprouting dandelions and the sound of kids chasing each other through the neighborhood mean that it’s time to get out and enjoy the great outdoors!

This summer bring something new to your outdoor living – the Pink Cart, the bright pink rolling trash can and all purpose carts that are proving to be quite helpful around the house, garage, yard, campsite and beach.

What can you do with a Pink Cart?

The list is endless with three cart size options. Well, almost. You’ve already heard about how folks are using the 64 and 96-gallon sizes at the curb, replacing their municipal- or private contractor-provided trash can. These rolling carts also see duty in the garage or the storage shed, holding recyclables, sporting goods (hockey sticks and skis/ski poles), seasonal clothing and more. And you may have seen some in yards, helping homeowners collect yard waste. Summer brings new uses – beach/pool toy storage, camping organizer/tote, beverage cooler, even a behemoth sand castle form (Note – don’t try this alone.).

What can a Pink Cart do for you?

It can make you feel really good as you support the almost 193,000 women who will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. Approximately 41,000 of them will not survive[1], a number you can help lower.  Breast cancer research costs money – you can help by purchasing a Pink Cart right here, or through your contracted trash hauler. The Pink Cart manufacturer, Cascade Cart Solutions, will give $5.00 to the American Cancer Society for every cart sold. The ACS will use it to help fund breast cancer awareness programs,[2] committing $118.1 million to explore causes, prevention, early detection, and treatments.

Buying a Pink Cart is as easy as sipping a cold lemonade.

You can order your 35, 64, or 96-gallon Pink Cart directly from Cascade Cart Solutions. If your hauler doesn’t offer The Pink Cart, contact Cascade Cart Solutions, provide the name of your hauler, and CCS will contact them.

Send us your Pink Cart photos!

Do something remarkable with your Pink Cart around the yard, pool, beach, whatever – and send us photos. We’d love to see them! For example, why not enter your Pink Cart in your community Memorial Day or Fourth of July parade. Just don’t put anyone inside, OK? You can find photo-sharing instructions on our FAQ page.

Pink Cart Days

Looking for an opportunity to get more involved in the effort to find the cure for breast cancer. Need a special day to give a Pink Cart to a special person? Here you go:

  • May 22, 2010 (Sat) (Detroit, MI) Komen Detroit Race for the Cure
  • May 31st (Mon) – Memorial Day
  • June 5th – World Environment Day
  • June 9-11 (Chicago, IL) Global Summit on International Breast Health
  • July 4th (Sun) – 4th of July
  • August 13-15 (Detroit, MI) Susan Komen 3-day For The Cure

[1] National Cancer Institute – http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/breast

 

[2] American Cancer Society/Cancer Reference Information http://ow.ly/1r2f3

By The Pink Cart | Posted in Breast Cancer Awareness | Tagged , , , | Comments (1)

Reflections on being a mother and a daughter on Mother’s Day.

May 8, 2010 – 9:17 PM

Jo-Anne Perkins and her daughter at graduationThis Mother’s Day weekend is particularly special for me as I reflect on the first half of my life spent with my mother and the second half of my life spent with my daughter. At this point it is almost a perfect divide in time and I am awed by the positive influence both strong women have had on the person I am today.

As I write we are waiting for our family and friends to arrive and join us in a celebration of our daughter’s graduation from college. It’s hard to believe it has been four years since that August day we dropped her off. She has earned a BA in Social Work and is readying herself for the next phase of life.

Our daughter has a strong calling to serve the young mothers and children of Romania, and she has talked about it since she was fifteen. I was shocked when she first mentioned that God wanted her to go to Romania and serve Him because she wasn’t even old enough to drive. Yet, she knew. My “Mom” answer to that was “after college you can follow your heart” but she was determined and decided to take a year in between high school and college to move to Romania. It was the most difficult time for me – even harder than when she was born and I felt so all alone having just lost my own mother to breast cancer.

I wish my mother was here with us this weekend to celebrate, to stand beside her husband at the ceremony

After a year of very hard work and sacrifice she came back to earn her degree in Social Work so that she could return eventually to Romania better equipped to the serve the young mothers and children she longed to help and had grown to love. And so here we are, four years later. She is done with school and her plane ticket is purchased for June 1st.

She’ll return to Romania for at least two and a half years.

My friends are worried about how I will adjust to not having my only daughter in my daily life, but I have had years to come to terms with her devotion and I am nothing but incredibly proud, which over shadows my sorrow. How could I possibly be selfish when such sacrifice is staring me in the face?

I know she is with us in spirit and smiling brightly over her granddaughter’s shoulder. It is a glorious day and the perfect weekend to celebrate mothers.

I wish my mother was here with us this weekend to celebrate, to stand beside her husband at the ceremony as the two of them began our family’s journey over fifty years ago.
I know she is with us in spirit and smiling brightly over her granddaughter’s shoulder. It is a glorious day and the perfect weekend to celebrate mothers.

Jo-Anne

By The Pink Cart | Posted in Breast Cancer Awareness | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Survivors, Fighters and Supporters help make the Pink Cart a big success at Waste Expo

May 7, 2010 – 4:12 PM

This week, Pink Cart made its debut at Waste Expo in Atlanta, Georgia. The Expo is one of the largest tradeshows in the waste management and recycling industry, and we were inundated with questions from hundreds of attendees and exhibitors wanting to know how to get the Pink Cart. Our Pink booth became a place for people to pair their personal experiences of breast cancer with their professional lives, and we were humbled by the stories they shared with us.

We are survivors

In just the first two hours of the Expo, one of our representatives said 27 women came into the Pink Cart booth and told him they were breast cancer survivors. He stopped counting but the stories kept coming. Many were employees of waste and recycling hauling companies who wanted to hear our thoughts on how they could make the Pink Cart available to their customers and their community. These survivors were passionate about using their influence in the industry to make a difference in the lives of women and their families across the country!

We are fighters

More women came in looking for information on how they could get one or two Pink Carts for themselves or their friends. They often said “this is a great project” or “these are beautiful carts!” After we told them they could buy a Pink Cart online at www.thepinkcart.com, some had even more to say. One woman told us she was just diagnosed with breast cancer in September and her best friend was undergoing lumpectomy surgery that very day.  Many said they were touched by the project and that it gave them a boost of strength and determination in their very personal fight to kick breast cancer to the curb.

We are supporters

Many men and women stopped at our booth to voice their appreciation of the Pink Cart project. They were private citizens, small family owned and operated hauling companies, county and city government officials, employees of large haulers who worked in marketing, purchasing, and even legal counsel! They had all been touched by breast cancer. Some were caregivers and supporters to women who are fighting, some were friends of survivors, and others were honoring loved ones they had lost to the disease. All of them were excited to show their support and solidarity with the women in their lives by rolling out a Pink Cart on trash day.

Help create a world with more birthdays

The American Cancer Society says 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. When we reflect on the number of stories we’ve heard since we launched the Pink Cart, we know that this disease impacts more than just the person who has it. It impacts their families, their friends, their colleagues, their neighbors. We want you to partner with us and the American Cancer Society to offer support, resources, and treatment for women and men impacted by breast cancer. Call your hauler today and tell them you want a Pink Cart to help raise funds for breast cancer awareness and prevention! Together we can create a world with more birthdays.

View photos from Waste Expo

By The Pink Cart | Posted in Breast Cancer Awareness | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Roll a Pink Cart across your lawn.

May 5, 2010 – 9:44 AM

There are few things more colorful than a spring lawn – green, used to be green, yellow, and pink. As you prepare your yard for the warmer months, raking up the dead grass and fall leaves, and hunting down the dandelions that sprout whenever you turn your back, your best companion is a Pink Cart – the rolling pink trash can that’s at its best when it’s working hard. You’ll find that it’s the perfect place for yard waste, tree clippings, garden mulch – even as a place to store your long-handled yards tools during this busy season.

Roll a Pink Cart through your garage.

The versatile rolling pink trash can is equally handy for cleaning and reorganizing the garage or storage shed. Fill it with recyclables that have piled up since the last fall cookout, or finally organize the skis, ski poles and hockey sticks. And it won’t feel the least bit undignified if you fill it with trash and roll it to the curb when you’re done.

Let the Pink Cart tackle a real challenge.

This year almost 193,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer; approximately 41,000 will not survive.[1] The research to stop these unacceptable losses costs money – you can help by purchasing a Pink Cart right here, or through your contracted trash hauler. The Pink Cart manufacturer, Cascade Cart Solutions, will give $5.00 to the American Cancer Society for every cart sold. The ACS will use it to help fund breast cancer awareness programs,[2] committing $118.1 million to explore causes, treatments and, someday, cures.

It’s easy to buy your Pink Cart.

You can order your 35, 64, or 96-gallon Pink Cart directly from Cascade Cart Solutions.

This spring, as you plan your color palette of yard plantings, be sure to include some Pink Carts in the mix. Think of it as a beautiful bouquet for 193,000 women.

[1] National Cancer Institute – http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/breast

 

[2] American Cancer Society/Cancer Reference Information http://ow.ly/1r2f3

By The Pink Cart | Posted in Breast Cancer Awareness | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Some say Pink Trash Can; Some say Pink Cart

April 28, 2010 – 3:04 PM

Some say Pink Cart; some say Pink Can.

What do YOU call it? It has wheels and it rolls, so some say it’s a Pink Cart. But you can keep lots of things in it, so others say it’s a Pink Can. And then there’s the point that the primary use of the Pink Cart is as a trash can, refuse can or recycles can, so …

Just think of what a Pink Can can do.

Let’s focus on that word “can.” You know it can hold, tote, store and haul. But the biggest “can” of all is this: call it a Pink Cart or a Pink Can; either way it can help fund the research that finds the cure for breast cancer, a cure that can save the lives of 41,000 women each year. [1]

You can help with a Pink Can.

Purchase a Pink Cart right here, or through your contracted trash hauler. The manufacturer, Cascade Cart Solutions, will give $5.00 to the American Cancer Society for every cart sold. The ACS will use it to help fund go to breast cancer awareness programs,[2] committing $118.1 million to explore causes, treatments and, someday, cures.

Pink Can, Pink Cart – no matter what you call it, call it yours. Remember, the best answer to the question, “Can we find better treatment and a cure for breast cancer?” is: “We CAN.”

[1] National Cancer Institute – http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/breast

 

[2] American Cancer Society/Cancer Reference Information http://ow.ly/1r2f3

By The Pink Cart | Posted in Breast Cancer Awareness | Tagged , , , | Comments (2)

Make Earth Day a Pink Cart day!

April 22, 2010 – 10:18 AM

Forty years ago this week, 20 million people rolled up their sleeves to tackle what must have seemed to be an impossible task – cleaning up the planet. On that first Earth Day they should have felt quite inadequate against the challenges that faced them; instead, they were 100% invested in success. Look around and you can see the results of their efforts – cleaner air and water, recycling on a national scale, legislation to safeguard our natural resources, and the promise that if we continue to follow in their footsteps, we will know a better world.

If this story sounds familiar it’s because it reads much like the tremendous efforts to find a cure for breast cancer. The path stretches far behind us; much work still lies ahead to find earlier discovery, better treatments, and a cure. It’s a huge undertaking and it sometimes seems overwhelming, but if we each do something, no matter how small, we’ll get there.

Your one small part could be a Pink Cart.

This year almost 193,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer; approximately 41,000 will not survive.[1] The research to stop these unacceptable losses costs money – you can help by purchasing a Pink Cart right here, or through your contracted trash hauler. The Pink Cart manufacturer, Cascade Cart Solutions, will give $5.00 to the American Cancer Society for every cart sold. The ACS will use it to help fund breast cancer awareness programs,[2] committing $118.1 million to explore causes, treatments and, someday, cures.

It’s easy to buy your Pink Cart.

You can order the 35, 64, or 96-gallon Pink Cart directly from Cascade Cart Solutions.

Put your Pink Cart to work on Earth Day!

Clean up your little part of the world with a Pink Cart. You can stuff it with glass and metal recyclables, fill it with yard trimmings and waste, hold your old newspapers and magazines for recycling, even use it to store mulch before spreading it on the landscaping or vegetable garden. Better still, join with some neighbors and roll your Pink Carts around the neighborhood, picking up trash, maybe helping some older folks clean up their yards. Do something remarkable with your Pink Cart on Earth Day – or any day – and send us photos. We’d love to see them! You can find photo-sharing instructions on our FAQ page.

[1] National Cancer Institute – http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/breast

 

[2] American Cancer Society/Cancer Reference Information http://ow.ly/1r2f3

By The Pink Cart | Posted in Breast Cancer Awareness | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

How many tax receipts will fit in a Pink Cart?

March 31, 2010 – 1:46 PM

There’s never been a better time to find out – April 15 is right around the corner! And if you’re like many taxpayers, you’ve waited until the last minute to file and your organization leaves much to be desired. Why not throw it all into a 35- or 64-gallon Pink Cart and roll it down to your tax advisor? If you need the curbside 96-gallon model there’s a good possibility that you’ve either missed a few years or that you’re deducting things you’ll never get away with.

Buy a Pink Cart and you’ll feel better about April 15.

Not to mention February 3, August 27, October 12 and the other 361 days of the year. That’s because every Pink Cart purchase gives $5.00 to the American Cancer Society to help fund the fight against breast cancer. They’ll use it to help fund breast cancer awareness programs,[1] committing $118.1 million to explore causes, treatments and, someday, cures. Knowing that you’re helping in the fight against breast cancer should be enough to brighten any day of the year!

Kick cancer to the curb with a Pink Cart.

This year almost 193,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Despite the heroic efforts of healthcare professionals, approximately 41,000 will not survive.[2] That’s an unacceptable loss and the affects are felt for generations. You can help put an end to it by buying a Pink Cart in the 35- or 64-gallon size, or, better still, the 96-gallon model, perfect for trash or recyclables. Regardless of size, the American Cancer Society receives $5.00 per Pink Cart sold from the manufacturer, Cascade Cart Solutions.

It’s easy to buy your Pink Cart.

Ready to join the fight against breast cancer? Contact your local/regional hauler to place an order for a Pink Cart. Large haulers have expressed interest in helping distribute the Pink Cart to customers, as have several regional, private firms. You can place your Pink Cart order online. Or you can order the 35, 64, or 96-gallon Pink Cart directly from Cascade Cart Solutions.

Send us your Pink Cart photos!

Doing something special with a Pink Cart on Tax Day? Filling it with all of your old shredded receipts now that your refund is on its way? Share the joy through photos – instructions are in the FAQ section of this site.


[1] American Cancer Society/Cancer Reference Information http://ow.ly/1r2f3

 

[2] National Cancer Institute – http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/breast

By The Pink Cart | Posted in Breast Cancer Awareness | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Why Pink Carts?

March 10, 2010 – 5:13 PM

You know that Pink Carts play a small but important part in the fight against breast cancer. But how did they come to be? Blogger Jo-Anne Perkins shares a moving story about her mother’s battle with breast cancer, and how that battle influenced her life.

Breast cancer stole my Mother.

Breast cancer has haunted my life for twenty-three years, ever since it stole my Mother from our family. While many memories have faded some details remain and often replay in my mind as if they happened recently. I remember being told the terrible news and how my thoughts starting wandering to the smell of burnt toast in the air and then suddenly there was no air and I couldn’t catch a full breath. I remember thinking about the chair I was sitting in and feeling little and wanting to fade into the fabric so that my Dad couldn’t see me anymore and would, of course, just stop talking. I remember the disbelief and yet I don’t remember tears. I don’t think there were tears, only fear.

My story is all too familiar.

My story is similar to thousands of other people that have lived through the anguish of watching women they love die from breast cancer. There is shock, disbelief, denial and then adrenaline which surfaces with the hope that you can change the outcome.

In just a couple of short months we learned that none of us could actually change the outcome, but our Mom’s passing did change our lives in ways that were both sad and wonderful. When she first got sick I was a newlywed and launching a new business with children planned sometime beyond five years, if at all. However, I had this crazy idea (remember the adrenaline?) that if there was a new baby then my Mother would consider her life really worth fighting for so I changed my plans and miraculously conceived a baby within weeks, but then lost my Mother to breast cancer shortly afterwards.

My Mom would have been a proud grandmother.

Our daughter was born nine months later and now at 23 she is an extraordinary person that has dedicated much of her life to missionary work abroad. A young woman of immense inner personal strength who lives her life in service of God and I am completely in awe of her grace. Her grandmother would have been extremely proud to know her, in my heart I believe she does.

A powerful coincidence and a chance to make a difference.

For years I’ve looked for ways to make a positive contribution in the fight against breast cancer; my two sisters and I are at heightened risk, along with millions of other women.

I spend much of my time working at a job I love, as the General Manager with Cascade Engineering, a Grand Rapids, Michigan company that makes rolling plastic trash carts. Cascade is a really innovative company that encourages its employees to think creatively and be entrepreneurial.

On September 1st, 2009, the 23rd anniversary of my Mom’s passing, our executive team was brainstorming ideas and because my mind and heart were elsewhere, I suggested that we create a Pink Cart campaign and give $5 from the purchase of every cart to the American Cancer Society (ACS) to be used in the fight against breast cancer. For me the suggestion was very personal but for the team it resonated as a way to do a really good thing for society and the business at the same time.

I encourage you to buy a Pink Cart and become part of the solution.

I am truly blessed with amazing and talented teammates at Cascade Engineering and before I knew it we were partnered with ACS, manufacturing pink carts and raising funds in the fight against breast cancer. I encourage you to purchase a pink cart, roll it to the curb, and let your friends and family know that you are part of the solution.

I am proud and profoundly humbled to be the first blogger on this site, which has been launched to provide a place for anyone who wants to share a story similar to mine or who wants to read about the experiences of others.

My Mother’s name was Arlen Kerr and she was an amazing woman that I honor today, and every day. Thank you.

Jo-Anne Perkins

By The Pink Cart | Posted in Breast Cancer Awareness | Tagged , , | Comments (8)

Cascade Engineering offers Pink Waste and Recycling Carts for Breast Cancer Awareness

March 4, 2010 – 4:31 PM

Cascade Engineering today announced the launch of the Pink Cart, a new program developed in collaboration with the American Cancer Society (ACS) that will enable households and businesses nationwide to make an important and visible demonstration of their support for the fight against breast cancer.

The signature piece of the initiative is Cascade’s new, brightly colored waste and recycling cart, made from pink plastic and available in 35-, 64- and 96-gallon sizes. Under the terms of the Company’s exclusive licensing agreement with ACS, $5 from the purchase of each Pink Cart will go toward supporting ACS’ breast cancer awareness programs. Cascade plans to offer the program through arrangements with waste haulers and local municipalities, as well as directly to residential and commercial customers at www.pinkcart.com.

“The Pink Cart is poised to transform America’s curbside palette, providing an innovative way to get involved in raising awareness about a disease that continues to take an enormous toll on women’s health,” said Jo-Anne Perkins, General Manager of the Company’s Cascade Cart Solutions business unit.

“In addition to reflecting Cascade’s longstanding corporate focus on making a positive social and environmental impact, the Pink Cart program is about a cause that is close to the hearts of many on the Cascade team. That connection has served as a powerful motivation as we developed this new opportunity for people to participate in the fight against breast cancer, highlight their own experience with the disease and encourage others to join in the cause.”

Cascade’s pink waste and recycling cart evokes ACS’ powerful pink ribbon symbol, which is widely recognized as a way to honor breast cancer survivors, remember those lost to the disease and support the progress made in defeating breast cancer. In 2009, more than 190,000 women learned they have breast cancer, and more than 40,000 died from the disease.

The Pink Cart program is the latest innovation by Cascade Cart Solutions, a solid waste and recycling industry leader that has developed and manufactured millions of injection molded solid waste and recycling carts for use in residential and commercial applications. Because Cascade places great emphasis on environmental awareness, all of its solid waste and recycling products are 100% recyclable. The Company is the developer of the EcoCart™, an eco-friendly collection cart that utilizes the highest post-consumer recycled content in the industry and can incorporate “smart” asset management capabilities through the addition of a barcode or RFID tag.

By The Pink Cart | Posted in Breast Cancer Awareness | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)