Gritman event: New format, new message

Gritman Medical Center’s Pink Tea and Pink Cocktail will have a different format and message this year.

The 19th annual event which raises money and awareness for breast cancer care will be held virtually and livestreamed online at 2 p.m. Tuesday.

Adina Bielenberg, Gritman Foundation board member, said this year’s message is to continue taking care of one’s health, including getting mammograms, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We want to make sure that patients know that we’re still here and that breast cancer doesn’t stop because of COVID,” said Christin Reisenauer, Gritman’s medical director of imaging.

Reisenauer, who has been involved with the event since its inception 19 years ago, said Gritman will continue to serve patients and protect them from the coronavirus while they visit the hospital.

“It’s a safe place in this troubling time of COVID,” Reisenauer said of Gritman’s Women’s Imaging Center.

Reisenauer and Gritman President and CEO Kara Besst will emcee the event. Former Idaho first lady Patricia Kempthorne will discuss the history and importance of Pink Tea and Pink Cocktail and Kayla Thomas, a cancer survivor, will share her cancer journey.

Beatriz and Ed Schweitzer of Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Nancy Panko of Palouse Specialty Physicians and Tina McClure, a cancer survivor and educator, also will speak.

Bielenberg said two quilts will be raffled during the event. People simply need to comment with their name and email address during the livestream and winners will be drawn at the end of the event.

“It’s inspiring to attend the event, see the speakers, hear their survivor stories, hear the journeys and then it’s also incredible to learn about all of the technology that’s available in the area allowing people to stay close to home for treatment,” Bielenberg said.

While attendees cannot gather in-person like usual, Bielenberg said sharing stories and gathering virtually is the next best thing. She said attendees rallying around each other and supporting the hospital is the most beautiful part.

“The big takeaway people get from it is getting together and supporting one another,” Bielenberg said.

All proceeds from the event go directly to programs that support breast cancer screening, detection and treatment on the Palouse.

Visit gritman.org/pinktea to make a donation or Bielenberg said checks can be mailed to Gritman Medical Center, 700 S. Main St., Moscow, ID 83843.

To livestream the event, visit Gritman Medical Center’s Facebook or YouTube pages.

Garrett Cabeza can be reached at (208) 883-4631, or by email to gcabeza@dnews.com.