Key Takeaways
- Elizabeth Hurley reflects on 30 years of supporting breast cancer research.
- The star emceed the annual Hot Pink Party for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
- “Still one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and we still have a long way to go,” she said.
Actress, model, and Global Ambassador of The Estée Lauder Companies Breast Cancer Campaign, Elizabeth Hurley once again hosted the Breast Cancer Research Foundation’s (BCRF) Hot Pink Party, helping raise critical funds to support research.
After more than 30 years, Hurley’s connection to the cause is deeply personal. In discussion with BCRF at the 2026 Hot Pink Party, she recalled how Evelyn Lauder first approached her about helping launch early campaigns with The Estée Lauder Companies and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, she was immediately moved by her mission.
“[Evelyn] said women were dying; people weren’t doing enough about it,” Hurley said.
In 1992, Evelyn Lauder co-created the pink ribbon and launched The Estée Lauder Companies Breast Cancer Campaign, helping spread global awareness of the disease. The following year, she founded BCRF, emphasizing the critical need for research to achieve her goal of creating a world without breast cancer.
Evelyn was steadfast in her mission—inspiring others to become part of this lifesaving work. “I just wanted to join her there and then,” Elizabeth shared, reflecting on her first meetings with her. “Everything she said made sense, and I’ve been doing it ever since.”
That conversation sparked a relationship with BCRF that has spanned more than 30 years. Elizabeth cited Evelyn’s passion and ability to connect with people as the key attributes that made her such a powerful advocate for the cause. “Evelyn had a huge amount of energy. Everywhere she went she could light up a room, and she could spread the word in a way that nobody felt they were being lectured,” Elizabeth said. “She was a wonderful woman to work with.”
More than three decades later, Evelyn’s legacy lives on through the progress being made in breast cancer research—while also serving as a reminder of how much work still remains.
“A lot is being done in preventative medicines, in research, and treatments,” Elizabeth said. “But unfortunately, still one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and we still have a long way to go.”
