Gail Pashup has had many moving experiences since she first climbed behind the wheel of truck number 8270, which dispatches from Prairie Yard 32 in downtown Chicago.

But as Pashup will tell you, 8270 is no regular rig. It’s one of 7 bright pink concrete mixers operating in 3 states – each a rolling symbol of Prairie’s commitment to conquer breast cancer.

“I have a folder filled with notes, business cards and pictures of people who’ve taken time out of their day to share stories of winning their fight with breast cancer, and many other kinds of cancer too,” Pashup says. “I also hear sad stories of people who lost their battle, but fought with courage.”

An incredible moment

Pashup remembers an especially powerful moment during a pour at 600 Lake Shore Drive in Chicago.

“I was standing near the concrete pump when I saw a worker peek out of a nearby door. He held up a finger to let me know he’d be right back. He brought a fellow worker with him, and when this guy saw the pink truck, his jaw dropped and he began to cry.

“When I stopped the drum, I timed it so he could see the ribbon and the breast cancer awareness imprint on the side. He thanked me and walked away. Later I found out he’d lost his wife to breast cancer just 6 months earlier. She was only 34 years old.”

Year-long push for the cause

There’s a surge of interest in the pink trucks every October, as Breast Cancer Awareness Month calls attention to the disease that claims nearly 40,000 lives annually in the U.S. alone.

Beyond daily deliveries, the trucks make special appearances at cancer fundraisers and community events throughout the year. But Prairie’s commitment goes well beyond the rose-colored rigs. In 2013, employees in Illinois will raise nearly $9,000 in support of cures, says Lee Ann Hulse, captain of Prairie’s Bridgeview-based Relay For Life team benefiting the American Cancer Society.

“We call ourselves the Prairie Pacers,” Hulse says. “Our July walk brings in lots of support, but we hold raffles, bake sales and other events to increase our total donation.” Since 2010 the Pacers have raised nearly $25,000 for Society programs funding research, awareness and prevention.

“All of us have family, friends and loved ones affected by breast cancer,” she explains. “Our dedication to fight this disease really runs deep.”

More than just breast cancer

Prairie employees work to create hope for those facing other forms of cancer, too. Dollars given to Prairie’s Relay For Life team support research to cure all cancers, Hulse notes.

Prairie employees have extended a caring hand to children with cancer, including Colton Cook of Pekin, Illinois, whose home needed renovations to support his health following intensive cancer treatment. In Indiana, under the leadership of Doug Dalton, Prairie supporters have raised thousands for Jill’s House, a respite home for those in cancer treatment at the nearby Midwest Proton Radiotherapy Institute.

Making a difference every day

Experts say we have miles to go before we put cancer behind us for good. But for now, Prairie people feel positive about the role they’re playing in the drive to find cures.

Bill Griffin, who works out of Prairie Yard 6 in Romeoville, Illinois, says he feels great whenever he’s behind the wheel of a pink truck. “People are always stopping to take pictures, both on job sites and while I’m on the road. I hear nothing but positive comments and I know it means a lot to people facing cancer.”

Want to book a pink truck for your cancer fundraiser or community event? Contact Lee Ann Hulse at lahulse@prairie.com.