Danica Patrick & Ford’s Warriors in Pink: Working together for Breast Cancer Awareness
Jana Seitzer
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Every Friday afternoon should end with an interview of one of the most empowering female role models.
Danica Patrick has been breaking stereotypes as the most successful woman in the history of American open-wheel racing for nearly 10 years—did you know she holds the only women’s victory in the IndyCar Series race? And she continues to amaze fans weekly on the racetrack. This year, Danica Patrick has partnered with Ford and its Ford Warriors in Pink initiative to help bring awareness and raise funds for breast cancer research and education.
Danica Patrick’s Ford Warriors in Pink sponsored Nascar. Photo courtesy of Ford.
“Ford is a partner of ours,” Danica said. “It was a natural fit being a female. I was in Chicago a few weeks ago driving women around the track. It’s amazing to see them be brave and take chances. I’m honored to be a part of the program.”
It’s all about more good days
Danica’s time in Chicago was an activation as part of the More Good Days Program, a component of the Ford Warriors in Pink, a program designed to bring more good days to women currently undergoing cancer treatment. If you’ve ever known someone with cancer, you know a distraction can be a good thing for his or her well-being and recovery. Ford Warriors in Pink recognizes what it takes to deal with the everyday challenges of fighting breast cancer.
More Good Days participants. Photo courtesy of Ford.
“Cancer sucks,” Danica said. “How can you help them have more good days? Help them focus on the good. Staying focused on the good is good for your overall wellbeing.”
For most of these women, not surprisingly, this was their first time on a racetrack. “They were excited, happy, had nervous anxiousness. They had a fearfully joyful time,” Danica said. “Once we step outside of our comfort zone, we don’t realize how big our comfort zone is. You want them to walk away empowered when you walk away coming out the other side. It’s what I do every weekend: coming outside of my comfort zone.”
Danica said she doesn’t really remember her first time on a racetrack. But she remembers the first time she was on any track, and it was a go-cart track. “I was 9 or 10, and I crashed,” Danica said. “I bent the cart, burned my sleeve. It hurt. I didn’t crash for the reason you might think, though; I lost my brakes. But I have good memories of it. I got another cart and kept going.”
Being empowered means better overall well-being and more good days as part of the More Good Days program. Ford Warriors in Pink empowers individual warriors (women and men) to find the strength within themselves and each other at a time they need it the most.
Want to challenge your own comfort zone? Read more about track driving here.
On why Danica Patrick chose to become involved with Ford Warriors in Pink
I asked Danica about her involvement in the program and why she chose to become involved. She’s a partner with Ford Warriors in Pink, female race car driver, and an excellent female role model. She chuckled and said to me, “Aren’t the reasons you listed good enough reasons?” I replied, “Of course they are!” But I wanted to know if she has any other reasons for being involved…any personal connections to cancer that interested her in the program. “Okay, as long as we agree on that,” she laughed. She said while she’s been fortunate enough that she hasn’t lost anyone close to cancer, she has a friend who has benefited from breast cancer research and funding.
Through the Warriors in Pink program, Ford has dedicated more than $133 million dollars to research and education to ensure it is providing tools and resources to respond to breast cancer patients’ needs, from maintaining day-to-day routines to help with meals and to empowering them with emotional support.
More Good Days participants dancing in Chicago. Photo courtesy of Ford.
Warriors in Pink, it’s all about support
The More Good Days initiative is just one small aspect of the Warriors in Pink program. They offer support resources like subscriptions to Headspace and Wanderlust to help with meditation and mindset. For those who have undergone mastectomy surgery, they offer a garment service, A Little Easier Recovery. They also offer free subscriptions to services like Meal Train and Green Chef to arrange for food and meal deliveries to patients’ homes, as well as a slew of other resources online at FordCares.com.
Read more about the Ford More Good Days Program here.
