Purple Hearts

Purple Hearts was established in late 2014, a group of Perth women with a passion to make a positive difference against women's cancers. We took part in the Weekend to End Women's Cancers, a 2-day, 60km walk to raise vital funds for the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research who established Western Australia's first Centre for Women's Cancer Research. The inaugural Purple Hearts Ball held in March 2015 with 750 guests was an overwhelming success. The team and event raised over for the Weekend to End Women's Cancers, making us the highest ranked fundraising team in Western Australia. The team is coming together again for the 2016 Walk and are organising the 2016 Purple Hearts Ball as our major fundraising event. All funds raised will again benefit the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research which is Perth's premier adult medical research institute. The meaning behind our “Purple Hearts” name and logo: The “Purple Heart” is a US Military decoration with a rich history, originally established by General George Washington in 1782. In modern times it is awarded to military personnel who are wounded or killed, to honour their sacrifices. The heart-shaped medal contains a profile of George Washington, and his coat of arms. To honour women who have faced a cancer diagnosis, especially those who have been wounded or have died, we wished to capture the symbolism of the Purple Heart medal. We’ve done this with our team name, and by using an image of a heart in our logo, within the shape of a purple awareness ribbon. Additionally, purple is the colour of the awareness ribbon that symbolises all gynaecologic cancer (cervical, ovarian, uterine/endometrial, vaginal and vulvar cancers), which we thought extremely fitting. Our logo and slogan also incorporates the colour pink, to represent the awareness ribbon for breast cancer.