Geisinger Health System Wins Top Honors in Third Annual Medline Pink Glove Dance Viral Video Contest

More than 80,000 healthcare workers and their communities from across the country and around the world joined together in the Medline Pink Glove Dance for breast cancer online video competition. After a hard-fought dance battle, the online votes are in and Medline is pleased to name Geisinger Health System, Danville, Pa., as the winner. As a result, $25,000 will be donated to their charity of choice, the American Cancer Society, providing free transportation for treatment to central Pennsylvania breast cancer patients in need. Additionally, Medline and participating hospitals will donate another $1 million to the National Breast Cancer Foundation and various local breast cancer charities nationwide. More than $2.2 million has been donated through the campaign and Medline Foundation since 2005.

Participating in the Medline Pink Glove Dance video gave us the opportunity to gather both employees and community members to bring awareness to breast cancer and celebrate survivors and caregivers, says Sue Hallick, executive vice president and chief nursing officer, Geisinger Health System. It is truly inspiring to know that nearly 1,000 Geisinger employees, community members and cancer survivors participated in the making of this video and danced in support of the fight against breast cancer. Our video is a tribute to those weve lost and for our friends and family still fighting, as well as those who care for our patients.

The Pink Glove Dance campaign, inspired by a Medline employee whose mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, started with just one hospital and 200 healthcare workers. Today, it has grown into a worldwide movement involving 80,000 participants globally and capturing more than 20 million online views. What makes it so special is that it is the only campaign that unites clinicians with their patients and their communities in the fight for a cure.

This years competition spanned 35 states and Panama and included more than 100 teams.  Second place honors, for the second consecutive year, went to Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Pa., which raised money for the Breast Cancer Coalition of Pennsylvania. Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames, Iowa, came in third and supported the American Cancer Society. 

We are thrilled with the growing response we receive from healthcare professionals and their communities each year, says Sue MacInnes, Medlines chief marketing officer and co-founder of the Medline Pink Glove Dance. We thank everyone involved in this unique campaign for reminding those who are facing cancer that they are not alone and that sometimes not just laughing but dancing can be the best medicine. 

The continued success of the Pink Glove Dance is a testament to the power we all have to help make a difference for this important cause, says Janelle Hail, founder, president and CEO of the National Breast Cancer Foundation.  Through early detection and education, more women can have the opportunity to celebrate strength and life.
Sponsored by Medline the maker of the pink exam gloves the Pink Glove Dance competition included video submissions from hospitals, nursing homes, schools and other organizations. Check out all of this years video entries at www.pinkglovedance.com. 

The original Pink Glove Dance video premiered in November 2009 and featured 200 Portland, Ore. hospital workers wearing pink gloves and dancing in support of breast cancer awareness and prevention. Today the video has nearly 14 million views on YouTube®. A sequel was produced in October 2010 featuring 4,000 healthcare workers and breast cancer survivors throughout North America. In 2011, the first national Medline Pink Glove Dance Video competition was held. In all, more than 150,000 passionate people have danced in Medline Pink Glove Dance videos.

Source: Medline Industries, Inc.