Pink-wrapped Bluebikes to benefit breast cancer patients with the Ellie Fund

BOSTON — Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts rolled out pink-wrapped Bluebikes for the first time in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Every time you ride during the month of October, BCBS will donate $1 to the Ellie Fund, up to $10,000.

If they reach the $10,000 goal, Lyft will take over and do the same.

“It’s really easy,” BCBS of Massachusetts Chief Marketing Officer Summer Latif said. “You don’t have to do anything if you ride the pink bike; the donation is automatically triggered.”

You can find 100 of the pink-wrapped bikes throughout the city.

“There’s over 5,000 bikes in the system so you’re going to have to look for them you, but they will be everywhere,” said Latif.

The Ellie Fund is a non-profit based in Needham that offers support and resources to breast cancer patients.

Lindsay Gardiner is a local nurse and mom of two who was diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2023.

“I was more able to focus on my health,” Gardiner said. “I didn’t have to worry so much about all the things at home that were big stresses at that time.”

The past two years have been filled with doctor visits, chemotherapy, and radiation but Gardiner said the Ellie Fund has helped lessen the burden.

“They gave me money for gas to go to and from because I was traveling from Boston to go to Mass General,” Gardiner said. “They would give me grocery money, just extra help.”

With that support and a tough battle fought by herself, Gardiner is now in remission.

She rang the bell back in July and before that, she ran the Boston Marathon with the Ellie Fund in April.

“Don’t let the hard days win, because that was kind of my motto throughout treatment and while I was running the marathon,” Gardiner said.

BCBS of Massachusetts stresses the importance of monthly breast checks, mammograms, and staying in tune with your body.

If you ride a pink bike in Boston this month, they suggest keeping breast cancer patients and survivors in mind.

“I hope that they reflect for a moment on all the people that are impacted,” said Latif. “It’s probably a lot more than you know.”

According to the Ellie Fund, nearly 7,000 patients are diagnosed with breast cancer every year in Massachusetts.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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