There are many ways to improve lives.
Sometimes it happens through innovative healthcare technologies that support patients during treatment. Other times it happens through community initiatives that help people navigate the challenges that come afterward.
Those two ideas came together through a new breast cancer support campaign launched in Brno, Czech Republic.
As a member of both our Women’s Employee Resource Group and Soroptimist International Club Brno 1, the first Czechoslovak Club of the worldwide organization Soroptimist International, I wanted to find a way to support women affected by breast cancer while creating a meaningful opportunity for employees to get involved. The result is a fundraising campaign that combines community impact and employee engagement with support for women recovering from breast cancer surgery.
From October 1 through October 21, participants will walk, run, or skate as part of the campaign. Registration fees will fund specially designed recovery pillows that the Faculty Hospital in Olomouc will be donated to patients through.
The initiative creates a unique ripple effect. Women recovering from breast cancer surgery receive practical support during a challenging time. Employees of a local sheltered workshop gain meaningful work and income through the production of the pillows. Community organizations along with healthcare providers and volunteers get to work together to create positive change.
What makes this effort especially meaningful to our company is its connection to our history in breast cancer care.
For many years, our Gamma Finder technology helped surgeons perform sentinel lymph node detection procedures. By detecting gamma radiation from a tracer injected near a tumor, the device enabled clinicians to locate lymph nodes with greater precision, supporting breast cancer staging and treatment decisions.
Like many healthcare technologies, Gamma Finder eventually reached the end of its lifecycle as newer solutions emerged.
This technology helped healthcare professionals care for patients during critical moments in their treatment journeys. The women who benefited from it and the clinicians who used it, as well as the employees who brought it to life are all part of that legacy. The teams who developed, manufactured, supported, and improved Gamma Finder over the years should be proud of the impact they made.
This initiative builds on that same purpose. Gamma Finder helped women during treatment. This campaign helps women during recovery. Both reflect a commitment to supporting patients and improving lives.
What I find most inspiring is the collaboration behind this effort. Employees, volunteers, healthcare providers, and nonprofit organizations have come together around a common goal. It is a reminder that meaningful impact often happens when people from different backgrounds unite around a shared purpose.
If this year’s campaign is successful, I hope it can serve as a model for broader participation across our global organization in the future. Breast cancer affects women and families everywhere, and there is tremendous potential to amplify our impact through employee engagement and local community partnerships.
Innovations evolve and products change while technologies advance. The desire to improve lives remains constant.
That is what connects our past contributions in breast cancer care with the work we are doing today, and it is why this initiative is so meaningful to me.