Beijing's ladies who golf will be teeing off in the name of charity at the inaugural Pink Ribbon Tournament at the Beijing Country Club on May 18. All women are welcome to join this fun event to raise money for breast cancer patients at the Breast Disease Centre of the Peking Union Medical College Hospital.

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death in Chinese women, with more and more women under 30 years old being diagnosed with the disease. While the Breast Disease Center sees an average of 120 women a day, many patients cannot afford the most appropriate treatment because public health insurance only covers basic health costs.

Seeing the need for help, Beijing Ladies Golf set up a fund to sponsor the treatment and reconstructive surgery for needy individuals at the Center. They aim to raise a total of ¥60,000. With the average reconstructive surgery costing around RMB 10,000, it will be enough to ensure three or four of the Breast Disease Center's most needy patients receive proper treatment.
Anna Janssen, Chairwoman of Beijing Ladies Golf, hopes around 100 women will register for the tournament, which she describes as a healthy mix of fun and serious golf events.

"You don't have to have a low handicap to have a chance to win because the tournament is based on the Double Periora handicap system," she says. "The holes that count towards the handicap are chosen at random. You play all 18 holes but only find out which ones counted after you finish."

The tournament will also give everyone a shot at the prizes through events like nearest to the line and nearest to the water. A range of food and drinks, including cheese and pink champagne, will be offered at different holes to sustain the players' stamina.

"It's a small way of contributing to the community but could reap big rewards for women suffering from breast cancer," Anna says.