Two thousand twelve marks the eighteenth year that the Ford Motor Company has been involved in the fight against breast cancer. In 2006 the carmaker took its activities to another level by founding Warriors in Pink. The campaign’s goal is to increase awareness of the disease—which can lead to earlier diagnosis, and therefore the saving of lives—and has since dedicated more than $115 million to the cause.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and to coincide with it, Warriors in Pink is releasing its first documentary, Bang the Drum: Living Out Loud in the Face of Breast Cancer. The emotionally powerful piece showcases eleven extraordinary women and men from around the U.S. who are breast cancer survivors.

According to Chris Hart, director of artist and public relations for Remo Inc., “Breast cancer affects all of us in different ways, and Remo Inc. wants to show that we care.” To that end, Hart contacted Remo endorsers, including Shadows Fall’s Jason Bittner and the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith, about signing drumheads and other products specifically for silent auctions to help raise cancer awareness. Advertisement

For Bittner the sting of breast cancer hits home. “I lost my mother to breast cancer eleven years ago,” Jason shares, “and my grandmother followed suit a year later. Any way I can give back is important to me.” Bittner recalls his mom’s support when he was younger. “She cared about my aspirations,” he says. “She listened to me bash on the drums from eight years old until I left the house.”

For Smith, pitching in for the cause took on a different tone.  “My dad, Curtis Madison Smith, worked for the Ford Motor Company for thirty-two years,” Chad says proudly. “He would get up every morning at 6 a.m. and drive down to the world headquarters in Dearborn. Seeing my dad’s dedication and work ethic really made an impression on me.”

For more information, and to view Bang the Drum: Living Out Loud in the Face of Breast Cancer, go to warriorsinpink.ford.com. The film serves as a powerful and inspiring resource to all who have been touched by the disease. Advertisement

Steven Douglas Losey