Ambassadors
The ambassador role is both a public voice for the trust and an Inspire-to-action amongst New Zealanders, who are uniquely positioned to take The Trust voice to a wider national audience and draw attention to;
- the escalated situation that now exists in New Zealand
- the urgent need to find a cure
- The Trust's vision & work
and to urge New Zealand business and individuals to increase their support for The Trust and its CURE goal, so we can stop breast cancer in its tracks.
Petra Bagust is a name and face that many New Zealand women respect and connect with. Her down to earth, warm personality makes her a favourite with audiences; Petra has hosted a variety of TV shows, including her recent programme ‘What’s Really In Your Food’.
She is a young mother of three and also has a heart for helping others through her work with various charities, including the Breast Cancer Research Trust. She has been a supporter of the Trust for more than five years now, and in her role as Ambassador has created a powerful fundraising DVD about breast cancer survivors.
"Breast cancer strikes at the heart of our families - mothers, sisters, wives and daughters. Very few of us have not been touched in some way, if not directly, then through our network of friends and relatives. Research into the causes and treatment for breast cancer is the best way we have to take back our power, and to meet this disease head-on with strength and hope, not fear."
Geeling Ng is known to many New Zealanders – be it from the screen in her current TV roles with Asia Down Under and The Jacquie Brown Diaries, past role in Gloss and as David Bowie’s famous China Girl, or through her management role in one of Auckland’s premier restaurants, Soul.
She also had a brief stint on Dancing with the Stars and is eternally grateful that she did not choose dancing as her preferred career!
Amongst her fulltime role at Soul, Geeling is dedicated to keeping fit and healthy. She completed the New York marathon last year and is training with like-minded people to do the Bordeaux marathon next year, which she describes as the perfect event – running while trying some of the world’s best red wine. Not content with one major plan, she is also aiming to complete an Everest Base Camp expedition next year.
Through her roles in television and her commitment to taking on physically challenging expeditions while fundraising, Geeling supports the Trust in both her professional and personal lives.
“We’re surrounded by women we love everyday, a mother, a sister, a wife, a daughter or a friend. They all deserve to live long, healthy lives. Breast cancer research is crucial to help save not only the women in our hearts but also the women of the world."
Karen Walker is an internationally renowned, New Zealand-born fashion designer with a reputation for original, effortless and unpretentious style.
Together with husband and business partner Mikhail Gherman, Karen has built her own global brand, demonstrating an almost instinctual knowledge of marketing and entrepreneurial skills.
In her role as Ambassador for the Trust, Karen brings her knowledge, experience and creativity, along with a vast range of contacts, to help the Trust deliver a cure for breast cancer within the next decade.
“Breast cancer is being detected earlier and there have been huge advancements in the way the disease is treated. These improvements are all due to research, which is funded by organisations like the Breast Cancer Research Trust. Further research needs to be conducted to fulfil the Breast Cancer Research Trusts goal of finding a cure for breast cancer, as more woman continue to die each year.”
Mikhail Gherman and his wife Karen Walker have been valued supporters of The Breast Cancer Research Trust since first developing the now iconic Glassons T-shirt campaign.
As Creative Director at Publicis Mojo, Creative Director at Karen Walker International and an accomplished artist, Mikhail is a fantastic ideas man who has a vision for everything, and the Trust is privileged to have this energy and creativity in his role as an Ambassador for the organisation.
“As the originator of the Glasson T-Shirt campaign, I have always been passionate about the cause. Now with a young daughter in our family, I am even more determined to assist the Breast Cancer Research Trust in finding a cure for Breast Cancer to stop this devastating disease in its tracks, for the next generation.”
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