Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Kirk Cox was honored Tuesday with the Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation’s Legislative Impact Award. This is the first time the VBCF has awarded the Legislative Impact Award. Speaker Cox was presented with the award Tuesday afternoon at the VBCF’s Inaugural “More Than a Pink Ribbon Awards” luncheon at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.
“The people of Colonial Heights and Chesterfield sent me to Richmond to make a difference, and one way I am proud to have done that is by being an advocate for those affected by breast cancer,” said House Speaker Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights). “Breast cancer affects thousands of people every year in Virginia. With the sponsorship of this license plate initiative, we can all play a role to advance the education, detection, research and cure of this life threatening diagnosis.”
In 2000, Cox sponsored legislation to create the VBCF pink ribbon license plate in Virginia. Virginia was only the second state, after Illinois, to have a breast cancer plate. The plate has raised more than $1.7 million to to support VBCF’s mission and programs to educate and advocate for all Virginians affected by breast cancer.
“Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation’s Legislative Impact Award honors individuals or groups who have made a significant contribution to Virginia’s breast cancer community in the legislative arena,” said Katy Sawyer, Executive Director of the Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation. “Speaker Cox’s legislation in 2000 to create the Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation pink ribbon license plate, has resulted in an estimated 9,000 plates on the road today. VBCF is fortunate to have this source of funding to continue and expand our education and advocacy work for Virginians each year.”
The “More Than a Pink Ribbon Awards” luncheon kicks off national breast cancer awareness month in Central Virginia.