Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) on Wednesday announced a partnership with Breast Care International (BCI) in Ghana.
For the first time, Delta will provide year-long financial support to BCI’s community outreach programme. The company sponsored the recent ‘Walk For The Cure’ event organised by the Breast Care International in Kumasi.
With Delta’s support, the outreach programme will be extended to rural communities throughout Ghana providing the opportunity for its women to be educated and clinically screened.
Over the next 12 months, up to 50 trained specialists will travel to communities allowing over 10,000 previously unreachable women to be examined and taught how to detect irregularities in their breasts.
BCI will work closely with local community leaders and church pastors to facilitate the participation in breast cancer awareness, education and screening.
Announcing the partnership agreement at a short ceremony held in Accra, Delta’s Senior Vice President-Europe, Middle East and Africa said the partnership forms part of their corporate social responsibility.
“Delta is committed to positively impacting the communities it serves and this new partnership with Breast Care International supports the early detection of this disease affording many women the greatest possibility for long term survival,” added Nat Pieper.
“As Delta prepares to celebrate 10 years of service between Ghana and the United States later this year, this partnership highlights our continued commitment to this country.”
For her part, Dr. Mrs Beatrice Wiafe Addai, The President of Breast Care International explained that the partnership will enable them extend their breast cancer awareness to more communities in Ghana.
“Breast Care International highly appreciates Delta Air Lines for their support and investment into our womenfolk. We are convinced, that the platform we both share will offer us the required visibility and mileage,” she said.
“We believe in this partnership because breast cancer prevention is not only about educating, screening and empowering women, but also effecting attitudinal change, a primary consideration in all our awareness creation programs. We believe, that this collaboration is just the beginning of great things to happen between our two institutions.”
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month across the world and Delta is supporting the cause through fundraising events, serving refreshments, including pink lemonade and also flying the dedicated pink plane to various cities across Delta’s network.
The airline’s employees and customers have raised $11 million for breast cancer charities since 2005, including last year’s efforts of $1.75 million. The collective contributions have funded the work of 44 different research projects.
Delta has operated service to Ghana since December 2006 and this year will be celebrating ten years of flying to Africa.
Delta operates service to four African cities in four countries namely Lagos, Nigeria; Dakar, Senegal; Johannesburg, South Africa and Accra, Ghana.
Through the hubs in Atlanta and New York-JFK, Delta offers an unsurpassed network of hundreds of convenient onward connections.
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Credit: Breast Care International