Moore County's "pink" influence for breast cancer awareness was painted in new directions recently.

Eli Arroyo-Allen, Pink Together Ambassador for the General Mills campaign, and registered nurse Dale Marsh delivered their educational program to Latina women at San Juan Diego Church in Robbins Wednesday night.

Arroyo-Allen was in Durham Thursday afternoon to take part in the "topping out" ceremony for the new Duke Medicine Cancer Center, being constructed beside the Duke Medicine Pavilion.

Representing patients, she was asked to sign the last steel beam raised and placed atop the building, which is part of the vast cancer research complex at Duke University Medical Center.

The event in Robbins attracted a large attendance of women of all ages.

"Father Bill John was very amicable and willing to promote and make the church available for us," Arroyo-Allen said. "The evening was a huge success."

After the presentation, the Latina women followed up with a number of questions about issues relating to breast cancer.

Arroyo-Allen is the founder of Loving Life/Amando La Vida, a program to assist Latina women in the community by providing education and information as it becomes available.

She was recently selected by General Mills as one of five "ambassadors" for the food giant's Pink Together campaign. In this capacity, the five "ambassadors" were pictured on packaging for such products as Cheerios and Fiber One during October, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

A breast cancer survivor, Arroyo-Allen is of Cuban descent. She is employed in the county manager's office as administrative officer-public information officer.

Marsh is a 30-year registered nurse who has worked for FirstHealth and "has the vision of providing the community with adequate information on women's health," according to Arroyo-Allen.

Contact Florence Gilkeson at florence@thepilot.com.