Pink October: Project Kesher Ukraine Enlists Prominent Men to Champion Women’s Health

For its 2026 Pink October breast cancer awareness campaign, part of the #1MinuteOfCare project, Project Kesher Ukraine recruited well-known Ukrainian men as ambassadors to bring a new audience into the conversation. Timur Miroshnychenko, Ihor Donskikh, Andrii Cherepushchak (known as Halytska Diva), Nazar Tumanik, and other influencers are using their social media platforms to urge men to talk with the women in their lives (their mothers, partners, sisters, daughters, and friends) about their health and the importance of timely medical care. Their message is simple: start with a text or a short conversation, and encourage other men to do the same.

“For more than 30 years, Project Kesher has worked to ensure that women have access to reliable health information and can make informed decisions about their well-being,” says Vlada Nedak, CEO of PKU. “But it is also important to change social attitudes, particularly by overcoming the silence and discomfort that still surround this topic. We do not expect men to become experts in women’s health, nor do we want care to turn into control. Instead, we suggest starting with something simple: ask, listen, offer support, and help women make time for themselves.”

By engaging men, the campaign reaches an audience that traditional awareness efforts often miss. Pink October events supported by PKU are also taking place in 13 cities across Ukraine, featuring lectures by medical professionals, educational activities, and a new gathering format called Pink Rosh Chodesh, inspired by the Jewish tradition of marking each new month.