October is breast cancer awareness month, also known as ‘Pinktober’, a global health campaign drawing crucial attention to this life-threatening disease, promoting education and encouraging early detection. For the Bali Pink Ribbon foundation, this is their time to shine, with their annual ‘Pink Charity Fun Walk and Run’ seeing hundreds of women (and men!) walk in solidarity dressed head-to-toe in pink to raise funds and draw public awareness.
Founded in 2013 by breast cancer survivor, Gaye Warren, Bali Pink Ribbon has since screened and provided treatment to thousands of women across Indonesia – initially beginning their efforts in Bali, then expanding their network to Java and eastern islands. From education and awareness, to organising screenings and even treatment, the foundation’s work has saved lives and shone a light on what remains a relatively unknown disease in Indonesia’s rural communities.
To honour breast cancer awareness month, NOW! Bali speaks to Gaye Warren to find out more about the foundation’s early beginnings, their current programmes and their mission in Bali and Indonesia.
Can you take us back to the beginning of Bali Pink Ribbon — what prompted you to start it, and what was the situation around breast cancer awareness and treatment in Bali at the time?
My own breast cancer diagnosis and subsequent successful treatments & breast surgeries in Singapore, Jakarta and eventual reconstruction in U.K. were the incentive for founding Bali Pink Ribbon – a chance and opportunity for me to give back to Indonesia, where I have spent many happy years with my husband and family.
At the time of my treatment, I discovered there was no support available to women in Bali once they were discharged from hospital after their treatment. I decided that a breast cancer Support Centre was urgently needed.
I began fundraising by introducing the Pink Ribbon Walk to Bali – I had joined a couple of Breast Cancer Care 10km Walks in England. I expected about 25 people to turn up for the first Walk in Bali and was amazed to greet 200 women all asking me about breast cancer support in Bali. The Bali Pink Ribbon 5 km Walk & Run in just a few years attracted 1000 people enjoying walking in the beautiful grounds of Nusa Dua Hotels, managed by the ITDC complex. Now the walk continues in Sanur!
What are the foundation’s main programmes today, and how do they work together to improve awareness, early detection and support for women with breast cancer?
Our main programmes today continue to offer breast cancer awareness educational seminars, followed by free breast screening using our own mobile USG. If a woman is found to have suspected breast cancer following her USG screening, our lady oncologist surgeon writes a letter of referral for her to present to the hospital for further screening and treatment.
Just an example of some of the success we have had: In October 2025 we spent 2 days in East Java screening 196 women. Out of these, 148 women required USG screening after manual examination and 6 cases of suspected breast cancer were detected and sent to the hospital for further screening and treatment. We just hoped we were successful in saving their lives.
We aim to offer free breast screening roadshows in Bali’s remote areas twice a year. We fly to the outer islands and also to East Java spending 3 to 6 days in a town or recently in tea, timber and cacao plantations screening the plantation workers. We fly anywhere with our team of 4 and occasionally with a volunteer team from FeM Surgery, Singapore, who have joined us since the beginning, screening at the Pink Ribbon Walks and some areas in Bali and now joining us at some of our out of Bali roadshows.
BPR’s supporters and volunteers are also important stakeholders. How important is this community and what does it mean to be part of BPR for them?
BPR has benefitted from kind volunteers – thank you NOW! Bali! – and from generous sponsors over the years receiving regular donations from a very special nursing group, Darwin, Australia Ladies Pink Tea Committee Freeport Mining, Papua; Bali International Women’s Association (BIWA); the annual Bali Classic Golf tournament; major support from resorts COMO Uma Canggu and Hard Rock Hotel Bali; as well as Singapore friends donating generous funds they raised from their 2 day participation in the N.Z Coast-to-Coast sporting challenge
BPR is so grateful for these funds which pay for our staff salaries, expenses running the Support Centre, roadshow expenses including air fares on local aircraft (we are used to landing on 1 wheel during high winds!) staff & medical team accommodation. None of our work can be done without the generous support of our sponsors.
Looking ahead, what does Bali Pink Ribbon need to achieve next, and what would you ultimately like its legacy in Bali to be?
Ultimately we hope to encourage women to prioritise their own health first: lead a healthy lifestyle and try to avoid stress, keep a healthy mind. With regards to breast cancer awareness, we hope for more women to learn how to monthly self breast exam – for which we hand out our illustrated leaflets – and get checked on a regular basis, trying not to suffer from ‘scanxiety.’
It’s equally important to us that women in Bali know that the BPR Support Centre is always there for them to feel more informed and supported, whatever they have to face.
Finally, on a more personal level, BPR wants women to know that there can be peace and joy in their lives again and, in the darkness, celebrate the light of their own being.
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Support Bali Pink Ribbon by joining their upcoming ‘Steps of Hope’ charity walk on Saturday, 17 October 2026, starting at Sudamala Resorts Sanur. Or feel free to donate directly to the foundation through their website.
Bali Pink Ribbon Foundation is a registered charitable organisation in Indonesia (Yayasan Pita Merah Muda Bali).
Pink Ribbon House
Perum Gunung Sari Indah B17,
Jl. Pulau Galang, Denpasar Selatan
+62 812 4695 0477
balipinkribbon.com
