A neighborhood tradition with a practical job: get women to book the mammogram.
Every fall, the streets of more than 80 neighborhoods in and around Charlotte are lined with pink bows. To the passing driver they are a pretty tradition. To the people behind them, they are a reminder with a purpose.
Robin Saddler, a Ballantyne resident, established The Pink Bow Campaign, Inc. in 2021 as an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to the fight against breast cancer. She founded it in honor of her mother, a 26-year breast cancer survivor. Five years on, the campaign covers 80 neighborhoods across Charlotte.
More than decoration
Beyond the show of solidarity, the rows of pink serve as a visual reminder for the women in a neighborhood to schedule their annual screening mammograms. The campaign's case is simple: progress in early breast cancer diagnosis only saves lives if women step forward to get screened, and a pink bow can be the visual nudge that gets the appointment made.
Where the money goes
Every bow ordered through the campaign funds local work. The campaign lists four:
- The Go Jen Go Foundation, which eases the financial and emotional burdens of a breast cancer diagnosis.
- MBC Travelers, which helps women with metastatic breast cancer take bucket-list trips.
- Donate a Pink Bow, a partnership with Novant Health that delivers bows directly to patients.
- Adopt a Neighborhood, which brings breast health education and resources to underserved communities.
How to join
It is never too late to put up a bow. The campaign's 2026 kick-off event was set for Thursday, August 27, at 6:30 p.m. at the Aloft Hotel Ballantyne, free and open to everyone. For more information, to get involved or to order bows, contact Robin Saddler at robin@thepinkbowcampaign.org.
This story appears in the September 2026 issue of Stroll Providence.