Yesterday evening, Wheels Up officially unveiled the first-ever pink Beechcraft King Air 350i in an event hosted by Kenny Dichter, Founder and CEO of Wheels Up. The unveiling took place at Westchester County Airport in White Plains, New York, in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October).
“The Wheels Up Pink Plane will serve as a symbol to create conversation and to fund the invaluable work of Dr. Eva Andersson-Dubin, Dr. Elisa Port and the entire team at the Dubin Breast Center, as well as our commitment at Wheels Up to making a difference in the fight against breast cancer,” said Dichter.
The aircraft will play the key role in Wheels Up #WheelsUpGoesPink FLY-A-THON campaign. The campaign invites Wheels Up members along with the general public to contribute to the Dubin Breast Center in any dollar amount of their choice for every Pink Plane revenue hour flown throughout October 1, 2015-September 30, 2016 (up to a maximum of 600 revenue hours). One time donations in any dollar amount are also being accepted. Additionally, Wheels Up will donate a portion of the membership fee for each membership purchased during the month of October 2015. The plane will remain in the fleet indefinitely.
Eva Andersson-Dubin, MD, co-founder of the Dubin Breast Center of The Tisch Cancer Institute at Mount Sinai, says, “The Dubin Breast Center is truly an innovative place, and Kenny Dichter and the energetic team at Wheels Up have put together an innovative campaign to match in the Pink Plane. As a breast cancer survivor, a physician, and a philanthropist, I am truly grateful for all that they are doing to further the work of our Center.”
Elisa R. Port, MD, FACS, Co-Director of the Dubin Breast Center and Chief of Breast Surgery, The Mount Sinai Hospital, says, “The Pink Plane is a symbol of hope and optimism for all women and men affected by breast cancer, and it is our honor for the Dubin Breast Center to be the recipients of this creative campaign. The funds raised through the Pink Plane campaign will help further research in breast cancer and the provision of extraordinary care we give to women, regardless of their socioeconomic background. We thank Kenny Dichter and the Wheels Up team for their support and generosity.”
Wheels Up has additional information and photographs at their website www.wheelsup.com/pinkplane/