Pink Ribbon Ball making its return to Kamloops

Apr 25, 2017 | 1:30 PM

KAMLOOPS — It’s the return of a popular community event that is hoped to generate $1 million for the Royal Inland Hospital Foundation over the next eight years.

Anthony Salituro, the founder of the Pink Ribbon Ball in Kamloops, is bringing it back after a four-year hiatus. He started the event back in 1998 after his aunt Josephine was diagnosed with cancer, and retired it in 2013. But Salituro felt the need to start it up again.

“Everybody in the community has been asking ‘when will the Pink Ribbon start again?’” said Salituro. “We did say the event had retired and said goodbye. But I found a new spark in something new and exciting. This time the money will stay here locally. It will also stay here at Royal Inland Hospital with the new tower being built. There’s many forms this $1 million committment can be used at the hospital, whether it’s in diagnostic imaging, surgery equipment, upstairs on the eighth floor at the cancer agency.”

The Pink Ribbon Ball raised $900,000 over its 16-year run, money donated to the Canadian Cancer Society. The $1 million  goal will help the foundation purchase essential hospital equipment.

CEO of the RIH Foundation Heidi Coleman said this shows how dedicated Salituro is to the Kamloops community. 

“Anthony loves this town. He was born here, what he’s done for this community is incredible,” said Coleman. “When I first arrived, I went to the second-to-last Pink Ribbon Ball and I was so excited, and then the next year it was over. It’s coming back and he’s dedicated $1 million for the health care and cancer care.”

Tickets are not yet available, but the RIH Foundation is fielding calls from interested people.