South American Airport Has (Temporarily) Changed Its Name

by SharonKurheg

A few months back, we posted why people could no longer fly to Turkey. That was something of a play on words, but it was, at least, a permanent change.

Opened in 1959, Bogota Colombia’s El Dorado International Airport (BOG) is a hub for the Colombian flag-carrier Avianca and subsidiaries Avianca Express and Avianca Cargo, as well as LATAM Colombia, Satena, Wingo, and several other cargo airlines. It’s the largest airport in Latin America for cargo, and the fifth largest for passengers.

In 2021, BOG changed its name during October from ‘El Dorado’ (in reference to the mythical golden city in the prehispanic Americas) to ‘El Rosado’ (loosely translated to ‘the pink one’).

They did it to raise awareness about the impact of breast cancer. And they’re doing it again this year.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM) (in the U.S., it’s generally known as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month [NBCAM]). Beginning in 1985, its annual international health campaign is organized by major breast cancer charities every October to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure.

To show their respective support of BCAM, different places do different things:

  • Important buildings around the world (i.e. The White House, 10 Downing Street, the official workplace of the President of Brazil, etc.) have been illuminated pink
  • Professional sports players have worn pink socks or other pink accessories
  • Just by coincidence, for years I was scheduled to get my annual mammograms in October – I was always given a pink carnation

BOG’s name change to “El Rosado” (“the pink one”) is the airport’s way of being a part of BCAM.

The airport’s initiative is done in partnership with the AMESE Association, a group of women and men who volunteer their time, knowledge and talent to teach about breast cancer, as well as to give emotional support to those diagnosed with the disease. This year, the organization’s motto is “Don’t turn your back on breast cancer”; they plan to teach the habit of routine medical consultation, encourage self-care and provide help and advice to those who require it.

Translation:

At El Dorado, we create connections that save lives 💗✈️ Did you know that with these 3 simple steps you can detect breast cancer early? Did you know them?😲 👇🏼 Find more information with our allies at @asociacionamese

[The 3 steps: Self exam, annual clinical exam, specialized exams.]

According to the Pan American Health Organization, breast cancer is one of the most common causes of death in women in the Americas. In turn, the World Health Organization (WHO) states that between 30% and 50% of cancer deaths could be prevented by modifying or avoiding risk factors and implementing prevention strategies (i.e. monthly breast self-examination, regular mammograms, etc.). Fortunately, thanks to early detection, breast cancer mortality rates have been declining since 1989. But an estimated 1 in 8 women will still get breast cancer in their lifetime.

El Rosado will return to being known as El Dorado on November 1, 2022.

H/T: Simple Flying

Feature Image (cropped): Felipe Restrepo Acosta / Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0

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