Bank of Valletta showed its support toward the Pink October campaign with various initiatives organised during the month of October.

BOV employees were involved from the very beginning. They were given a pink ribbon lapel pin which everyone, including the Bank's CEO, Mr Mario Mallia, wore throughout the month.

The blood donation drive organised during the first week of October was dedicated to breast cancer patients. Employees participated keenly so the Malta National Blood Transfusion Mobile Unit saw a constant flow of donors throughout the morning and early afternoon, with 38 BOV employees successfully making their donation.

In a bid to increase awareness about breast cancer, the primary cause of cancer-related death in women in Malta, with over 300 being diagnosed every year, the Bank organised a seminar for its people. Charlene Mercieca and Joseph Vella were invited to share their experiences. Both survivors opened up about the treatment and how they coped; highlighting the importance of regular self-examination stemming from a good knowledge of one's body and retaining a positive attitude throughout. Charlene also highlighted the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle and managing stress as key variables. Antoinette Attard, a nurse from the Breast Cancer Unit explained about self-examination. She stressed the importance of early diagnosis through breast awareness, regular screening mammography and prompt treatment, all variables contributing to better outcomes and the greatest chance of long-term survival. Themed cupcakes were offered to all participants.

Finally, last Friday, a dress down with the theme 'Make a Pink Difference with BOV' was organised across the BOV Group. All employees came to work in casual clothing, wearing something pink in exchange for a nominal donation. Customers walking into the Bank's branches were treated to a sweet pink surprise to commemorate the event, and invited to contribute to the cause. All donations received will be donated to the Pink October campaign.

Speaking about the initiatives undertaken, Charles Azzopardi, Head PR & Marketing at Bank of Valletta said, "Our organisation is virtually a community within a community. We feel it is important for us to involve ourselves in such initiatives that help to raise awareness about important issues such as the Pink October Campaign, which not only focuses on fund raising but also on generating more awareness about the matter.

At BOV, we hold regular dress downs during the year, so we felt that the last one for this calendar year should be dedicated to this cause which is being espoused by the Marigold Foundation - BOV in the Community. Concurrently, the involvement of our people ensures they are exposed to more knowledge about breast cancer and they learn more about early detection."