BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Golden Empire Transit is going pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, unveiling a newly wrapped bus designed to raise awareness about breast cancer and the importance of early detection.
The pink-wrapped bus was unveiled Friday morning and will travel throughout Bakersfield on GET routes for the rest of October.
For GET employee and breast cancer survivor Michele Warren, the campaign carries a deeply personal message.
Warren was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020 after going in for her annual well-woman checkup. She is now a six-year survivor.
Her family’s journey continued when her oldest daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021.
“So we both have been on this continuous journey of ensuring that we stay healthy,” Warren said. “That we follow doctors' care and doctors' treatment orders, and that we continue to embrace and support the breast cancer survivor and supporters community.”
Warren said she did not have a family history of breast cancer, which she said serves as a reminder that the disease can affect anyone.
According to the American Cancer Society, about one in eight women will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of their lifetime.
GET partnered with local nonprofit Links for Life on the project to bring more attention to breast cancer awareness and support for survivors.
“They’re the organization that’s in Bakersfield that is dedicated to helping bring awareness to breast cancer and making sure that we support the survivors,” said Jamillah Omar, a customer experience and engagement specialist for GET.
The bus features a custom design selected by GET employees and will be visible on routes throughout the city during October.
GET CEO Chris James said the agency hopes the bus will catch people’s attention and encourage them to prioritize their health.
“As it operates on our routes and throughout the city, it’s an eye-catcher, and we hope the community recognizes that,” James said.
Warren hopes the campaign encourages women to prioritize their health, get recommended screenings and follow up with their doctors.
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