RCSI and VIVAS Health are delighted to announce that the RCSI/VIVAS Health Race Against Breast Cancer Day will take place at the Leopardstown Pavilion on Sunday, 5 November.

This high-profile event will raise much needed funds for breast cancer research in Ireland.

Promising to be one of the social events of the year, guests will be welcomed to the pink themed event with a champagne reception and entertainment provided by The Camembert Quartet. Prime Time presenter, Miriam O'Callaghan, will MC on the day.

Over 800 glamorous guests and celebrities will be in attendance to help raise funds for this very worthy cause.

Guests will enjoy their lunch in the pavilion, which overlooks the racecourse. The first race takes place at 12.30pm and there will be a total of six races held throughout the day. There will also be an auction where guests will have the opportunity to bid on items such as a Diamond necklace, return flights to Malaysia, two tickets to London Fashion Week with dinner in Gordon Ramsey's and two nights’ accommodation in Claridges, a dinner party for eight guests cooked by a celebrity chef and many more. Also a surprise raffle will take place giving one lucky guest the chance to drive away in a fully taxed and insured luxury car, which will be theirs to drive for one year. Goody bags will be given to guests on departure, packed with luxury cosmetic and lifestyle products.

The event receives the support of an impressive organising committee, including Pat Desmond, Kathleen Reynolds, Ann Smurfit, Anne Heffernan, Shelley Corkery, John Rocha, Carol Mallon, Jackie Skelly and Carmel Horgan, who will bring their inimitable style and fundraising skills to the fore ensuring that this event is a memorable one.

With the major sponsors for the event already secured, all monies raised through the sale of tables, the surprise raffle and the silent auction will go directly towards RCSI's programme of breast cancer research. It is estimated that over €250,000 will be raised, making it one of the largest amounts ever raised from a single fundraising event.

At the RCSI/VIVAS Health Race Against Breast Cancer Day, tables seat 10 guests, at a cost of €3,000, and this event sells out well in advance, so early booking is advised.

There are approximately 1,800 new cases of breast cancer in Ireland each year. As such, women living in Ireland have a one-in-10 chance of developing breast cancer in their lifetime. 650 women in Ireland die from breast cancer each year. RCSI is committed to reducing the number of deaths from this disease through a combination of early detection and improved treatment methods, which are central to the facilities translational approach to medicine.

The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) is the leading authority in breast cancer research in Ireland. RCSI has been commended for their translational approach to cancer treatment, offering a bench to bedside solution. The college’s research team is led by Professor Brian Harvey, Director of the RCSI Research Institute, who later this year will be awarded the Knight of the Order of Meritby French President, Jacques Chirac, in recognition of his work promoting scientific collaboration between France and Ireland over the last 25 years.

In relation to his scientific progress in the field of breast cancer research, Professor Harvey and his team have recently identified a novel cell signalling mechanism, by which oestrogen can stimulate proliferation (tumour progression) in breast cancer cells. The clinical significance of these findings is that it will help to develop effective neutralising agents in breast cancer chemotherapy.

This scientific research team works closely with the consultants’ team, led by Professor Arnold Hill, Professor of Surgery RCSI and leading Irish breast cancer consultant, to ensure that the latest research is translated into treatment for cancer patients nationally. A new Symptomatic Breast Unit, located at RCSI's main teaching hospital, Beaumont Hospital, will provide a timely and efficient service leading to earlier diagnosis and an improved outcome for women with breast cancer. In addition, Professor Hill directs the RCSI Breast Cancer Group (BCG) caring for 600 breast cancer patients annually in the north east region through to Waterford. This group will provide a leadership role in developing the National Quality Assurance Standard for breast cancer care within Ireland.