Pink Out Brings Together Waterbury Community in Support of Breast Cancer Awareness
October 19, 2026Categories: Events
Saint Mary’s Hospital and the City of Waterbury joined forces on Tuesday, October 27, for the annual Pink Out press conference. The community-wide event, held at Waterbury’s Fire Department Station 10, aimed to raise awareness, support breast cancer prevention and care and raise funds for the Breast Health Screening Program at Saint Mary’s.
Community members and leaders joined together in support of the 2026 Pink Out Press Conference.
Isha Emhoff, MD, MPH, FACS, Chair of Surgery at Saint Mary’s shares insights on the value of breast cancer testing and diagnosis.
Hosted in partnership with the Saint Mary's Hospital Foundation, the event highlighted Pink Out's impact and its continued support of the Foundation's Breast Patient Fund which helps provide breast health services to underinsured and uninsured community members. The event featured remarks from Waterbury Mayor Paul Pernerewski; Husnain Kermalli, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Saint Mary’s; Isha Emhoff, MD, MPH, FACS, Chair of Surgery at Saint Mary’s; and Darren Schwartz, Ed.D., Waterbury Superintendent of Schools.
“One in eight women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime,” Dr. Emhoff said. “Early detection saves lives. Regular exams and routine mammograms are critical tools that can help detect breast cancer when it is most treatable.”
During the event, organizers recognized local student Zoey Bernardini, whose artwork was selected as the official design for this year's Pink Out T-shirt. Zoey created the design in honor of her mother's breast cancer journey, offering a personal and inspiring symbol of hope and resilience for the community.
Speakers also reflected on the program's growing impact. In 2025, Pink Out raised more than $60,000, helping provide breast health services to more than 150 local women. One hundred percent of the funds from the initiative have directly benefited residents facing barriers to care.
Through the Saint Mary's Center for Breast Imaging, patients have access to state-of-the-art diagnostic tools, including mammography and ultrasound technology such as the Philips EPIQ Elite, which offers enhanced image quality and diagnostic precision. Additional innovations include Mozart 3D Specimen Imaging Technology, which helps surgeons accurately visualize tumors during procedures and the SAVI SCOUT® wire-free localization system used to guide breast tumor removal.
You can learn more about Pink Out here: Pink Out | Saint Mary’s Hospital Foundation. For more information on Saint Mary’s Hospital’s breast surgeons visit: www.TrinityHealthOfNE.org/journey