Pink Hands for Focused on a Cure!

Our good friend and 2010 Focused on a Cure survivor Renda Welch, sent Karen a magazine article a few weeks ago. The image in the article showed  all of the employees of a dental office with pink hands. Renda wanted to have all of her staff do a similar portrait to promote her dental office and breast cancer awareness!

Renda and her staff came to the studio on June 1st to display their pink hands, breast cancer ribbons and of course have tons of fun with Karen.

Here are some of our favorite images from their session!

Of course Karen had to get in on the fun!!

Renda is working extremely hard on sponsorships for this year’s Piggin Out for Pink event. She has already raised over $1,000!!! We want to thank her and her staff for all of their hard work. Thank you ladies for supporting Focused on a Cure!!

Make sure to stop by Dr. Welch’s office where our 2010 FOC survivor exhibit is currently displayed.

Focused on a Cure: Pink Pearls

Last Night we attended the Pink Pearls event held at Concord Vintage Motor Company. The 2010 Focused on a Cure Exhibit was displayed right when everyone walked in the door. People were enjoying the exhibit when entering the event.

Special guest Molly Grantham from WBTV News was the guest MC for the event. Molly has personally been touched by breast cancer in her family. Her mother is a breast cancer survivor, her grandmother was a breast cancer survivor and her great grandmother passed away with breast cancer. Molly did a wonderful job hosting this event.

Models strutted on the runway in fashions by Brooks Brothers, Cache, Coldwater Creek, Doncaster, Kids CO-OP, and Neta’s.

This year’s event was the 30th anniversary of the Healing Threads Fashion show. Neta’s has been supplying clothes for all 30 years of the fashion show. This year was extra special because Neta herself modeled in the show. It was also the first time in Neta’s life that she had ever worn pants. Neta is a typical southern bell wearing dresses all her life!

There were two special models in the show to Focused on a Cure. Sabrena Thomas and Lou Hamilton were both models this year. Both ladies are both breast cancer survivors and part of Cabarrus Health Alliances Sisters in Partnership.

Over the thirty years of the Pink Pearls Fashion show Northeast Foundation has raised over 5.75 million dollars contributed to Breast Cancer awareness and research. This year’s event through sponsorship, donations and ticket sales raised $65,500.

We would like to thank Northeast Foundation for their support of Focused on a Cure as well as say thank you to them for all they do for Breast Cancer awareness.

Way to Go Guys!!      

http://www2.independenttribune.com/news/2010/sep/26/fashion-show-benefit-northeast-foundation-ar-420207/

To learn more about Northeast Foundation please visit their website at http://www.cmc-northeast.org/

Focused on a Cure: Are you at risk for breast cancer?

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Are you at risk for breast cancer?


Although we do not know how to prevent breast cancer, it is possible to reduce your risk of developing the disease to help you stay well. Some risk factors such as age, race, family history of the disease, and reproductive history cannot be changed. However, lifestyle factors such as reducing alcohol use, engaging in regular physical activity, eating well, and staying at a healthy weight are all associated with lower risk.

Being a woman is the greatest risk factor for breast cancer; but men can develop breast cancer, too.

The risk of developing breast cancer increases with age. Two out of three women with invasive breast cancer are 55 or older when they are diagnosed.

Breast cancer risk is higher among women with a family history of the disease. Having a first-degree relative (mother, sister, or daughter) with breast cancer increases a woman’s risk. However, most women with breast cancer do not have a first-degree relative with the disease.

Additional risk factors include:
Taking postmenopausal hormone therapy (especially combined estrogen and progestin therapy)
Being overweight or obese, especially if weight is gained after menopause
Use of alcohol, especially two or more drinks daily
Physical inactivity
Long menstrual history
Never having children or having your first child after age 30
Previous chest radiation to treat a different cancer
Previous history of breast cancer

You can help create a world with less breast cancer and more birthdays. To learn more about breast cancer and how to reduce your risk, call your American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org/breastcancer. You can also join your local Relay For Life at www.RelayForLife.org/Cabarrus .

Source: American Cancer Society

Focused on a Cure: 2010 Grants

Finally, we can tell you!! It's no longer a secret! Do you know how hard it has been to keep this a secret?!

We set our goal for 2010 at $15,000. That was a jump from 2009's $10,000 donation to CMC-NE's Breast Health Program. Needless to say, we were terrified we were shooting for an unreachable goal. But as the year progresses, we held fundraisers and the money began to pile up. By April, we had over $10,000 from the Pink at the Rink (hosted by Skateland USA) and IP's Cutest Kid Contest (which was a HUGE success by Irresistible Portraits and all the participants).

Then in July, we started to sell tickets for our 2nd annual Piggin' Out for Pink on August 6th. In the last few days before the event, the tickets sold like crazy! With over 200 people in attendance, we had a wonderful evening of awareness! Through a silent auction, live auction, basket raffles, ticket sales, t-shirt sales, and vendor donations, we accumulated enough money to surpass our goal to donate to the chosen organizations!!

We decided early in the year that we wanted to spread the money to numerous deserving organizations instead of giving a large sum to one, as we did in 2009. With the help of Kathy Waters and Sherry Carawan, both experienced with non-profits through Phillip-Morris, we established a grant committee. Requests for grant applications were sent to five different organizations and we received four in return requesting up to $20,000. The grant committee included Renda Welch, a survivor and sponsor; Terry Edwards, husband of one of our survivors, Diane Edwards; Karen Goforth, photographer/owner of Irresistible Portraits; Rhonda Lester, professional photographer from Archdale, NC; and Robbin Barringer, Clinical Coordinator at Cabarrus Family Medicine - Kannapolis. This was a variety of people that gave an unbiased decision to who deserved the money that we worked very hard to raise.

Each grant application was reveiwed by three different grant committee members anonymously. At a later date, the committee met to review each person's score for a particular application. The scores were very similar, which is a great sign! After looking at the numbers, then a general discussion took place between the committee members to decide whether they would give full funding requested or partial funding.

Everyone was confident in their opinion and the scores they had given. The committee agreed to donate a total of approximately $20,000 to the following well-deserved organizations:

• Cabarrus Health Alliance: Breast & Cervical Cancer Control Program and Sisters in Partnership.
• Stanly Regional Medical Center Foundation
• Carolina Breast Friends: Project Pink House
• Women of Hope
• Avon Foundation for Women
• Susan G. Komen Foundation

Thank you to everyone who participated in any of our fundraisers, sponsored our Piggin' Out for Pink, donated raffle items for different events, bought t-shirts, etc. Every little bit counts and you're the reason we were able to surpass our goal of $15,000 and donate $20,000 for 2010! We appreciate your support and we hope to keep up the good work for next year!

To see more candids from our Grant Celebration on September 9th, visit our facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/focusedonacure.

Pep Rally: Relay for Life Cabarrus 2010

Last Thursday, Renda and I attended the Spring Pep Rally for the Cabarrus Relay for Life 2010. The Big Game - Relay for Life vs. Cancer - will be held Saturday, May 15th, 11am to Sunday, May 16th, 11am at the Cabarrus Arena and Events Center. This year's theme is Relay University - "Go! Fight! Win! in 2010!"

In 2009, Cabarrus County raised $133,000 for the American Cancer Society. The goal for 2010 is $150,000! Another goal for 2010's Relay is to have 1,500 cancer survivors walk the Survivor lap (the first lap of the relay). Can you imagine 1,500 survivors in purple survivor shirts walking that special lap together? (goosebumps)

At the Pep rally, Kim Beecham, the co-chair for the 2010 Cabarrus Relay for Life, told her story of being a 3 year cancer survivor and having her mom as her caregiver. Renda and I were touched by her story and we wanted to share it with you. On August 31, 2006, Kim was diagnosed with lymphoma at the age of 25. She said her faith, family, and friends are what got her through the battle.

She mentioned her aunt that called her everyday from the day of diagnosis until the day she was "cancer-free." Even if her aunt only spoke to a nurse, she'd take note of the tests, diagnoses, and how Kim felt each day. She kept a diary of her day-to-day struggles and progresses. Kim has this diary of her battle with cancer, which is something that she can refer back to and see how strong she was. Kim said during her story, "Every day was a victory."

Kim pepped up the room full of team captains and members by her words. "Walk so that we can celebrate more birthdays." Her mother also spoke of participating in three years of UNCC Relays for Life. She said, "I thank God everytime I see her walk that survivor lap." (goosebumps and tears)

We want to thank Kim and her mother for sharing details of their battle with cancer. It's awesome to meet people who are as passionate as we are about fundraising to help research.

Rita from the Charlotte office of the American Cancer Society also joined us at the Pep Rally. She asked who in the room had referred cancer patients and their families to the American Cancer Society before. Only a few people in the room agreed that they had referred anyone to ACS in the past.

Rita proceeded to inform us of the numerous services and support that ACS can offer cancer patients, such as caregivers, survivor network, patient health insurance assistance, road to recovery, and many more! (I personally had no idea about all this! I just thought ACS was based around cancer research. Little did I know?!)

Road to Recovery is a transportation system where volunteers can help patients get to and from treatments and doctors' appointments. Many patients don't have family and friends locally for support, therefore, no transportation. ACS needs more Road to Recovery drivers. If you know of any church groups, retirees, etc. that might be interested, contact Rita at 1-800-ACS-2345. They also offer caregiver workshops for anyone who is interested as well.

I have to say after the pep rally, we're pumped. We've got some great ideas for fundraisers. We have high hopes for our campsite at Relay this year. We can't wait!

If you're interested in joining our Relay team, go to http://main.acsevents.org/goto/focusedonacure and click Join our Team! The more the merrier!

-Jessica

Miche Bags

Sherry Carawan and Kathy Waters are volunteering their time to help plan and fundraise for Focused on a Cure in 2010. At our first planning meeting on Monday evening, Kathy mentioned the two of them selling Miche Bags and what a great company Miche is. They're very involved in giving back to charities, so this sparked our interest.

Take a look at this recent article about the new "Hope" Miche shell for their bags.

SOUTH JORDAN -- The Miche Bag company of South Jordan has unveiled its newest handbag design. That, in and of itself, isn't unusual in a company that sells 40 different designs. But the new design, called "Hope," has a specific purpose: to generate large amounts of money for cancer research.

It's a growing trend by businesses worldwide, connecting their brand with an important cause. Miche Bag unveiled its new handbag at its annual distributor conference in Salt Lake City Friday.

Jennie Platt, who designed the new product, said, "Our goal -- and hopefully it's something that we far exceed -- but our goal right now is to donate at least a million dollars to cancer research."

The money raised by distributors in the United States and in about 14 other countries will go to the Huntsman Cancer Institute.

Since 2007, Miche has designed and sold the popular "interchangeable" handbag. Outer shells fit over the main purse compartment, attached by magnets, allowing the user to change the designs at will. This new one has a specific purpose.

"Six months ago, we started coming up with the idea that it was time for Miche Bag to give back," Platt said. "We've been so successful and blessed, and we really wanted to do something in our community that really gave back."

Since just about everyone is affected by cancer in some way -- either personally, or knows of someone who had had it -- Miche distributors and customers urged the company to focus on generating money for cancer research.

Platt said met with many cancer patients and survivors and asked for some quotes as to their thoughts about dealing with the disease. In bold, black and white letters the new bag design features words and phrases such as "Love," "Fight like a Giant," "No Regrets," and "It's not about living or dying, it's about how I live until I die."

Miche CEO Corbin Church said it's a design that will certainly draw attention.

"When you're standing in the grocery line with that bag, and the person behind you starts reading that, you don't think that they're going to become curious as to what all those quotes are about? Yeah, it's a conversation starter," Church said.

The company hopes that those conversations will ultimately produce millions of dollars worldwide to fight cancer.

Several cancer survivors and doctors from the Huntsman Cancer Institute attended the distributors meeting and shared personal stories. They also expressed their appreciation for what the company is about to take on.
Roxanne, a mother of four and grandmother of 10, has been cancer-free for five years.

"I will be eternally grateful for everything that you do, for the money that you raise and to the causes that it goes to," Roxanne said.
Miche sold its first back in 2007 and now has about 250 distributors around the world.


To take a look at the new "Hope" shell, go to the Miche website. We will actually have a "Hope" Miche bag being raffled off at our future Girls Night Outs. Kathy and Sherry will be there to show you how they work, and show off all the fabulous shell options. Keep an eye on our events for 2010!

Kathy & Sherry can also hold a home show at your house or your work, not only to benefit yourself, but for cancer research. 10% can be donated to your charity or your charity of choice.

I "Hope" that you will find a place in your lives to come together with a group of your friends, neighbors or co-workers and have a Miche Bag Show and help out the search for a cure for cancer. -Kathy Waters

Avon Foundation's Response

We receive emails from the Avon Foundation frequently because of being involved in the annual Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in Charlotte. This is one we'd like to share with everyone because it's a heated discussion in the news and on our minds...

Avon Foundation for Women Response to New U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) Mammography Recommendations

The Avon Foundation for Women strongly supports current mammography screening guidelines that have contributed to a 30% decrease in breast cancer mortality since 1990 when mammography screening became routine.

On November 16, 2009, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended changing current mammography screening guidelines to begin biennial screening in women aged 50, discontinue screening for women over 75 years of age, and no longer promote self breast exam.

The Avon Foundation for Women advocates for empowering women of all ages by ensuring they have access to medical experts with whom to discuss breast health and the knowledge to make informed decisions with their doctors on breast health care, early detection screening for breast cancer, breast cancer risk and risk reduction strategies.

• The Avon Foundation continues to support the guidelines recommended by expert groups American Cancer Society, American College of Radiology, Susan G. Komen for the Cure and others including that women get to know their own bodies through breast self awareness and immediately report any changes to their doctor, begin annual screening mammography at age 40, and continue annual screening mammography for as long as the woman is in good health.
• Doctors must take time to conduct individualized risk assessments and provide appropriate guidance to women of all ages. It is more important than ever for women and doctors to have a comprehensive dialogue about the benefits, limitations, and potential harms of mammography, the risks of delaying mammography, and the value of being familiar with ones own body.
• Educational support, insurance coverage and government programs for early detection must not be jeopardized, as reductions would dramatically influence a woman’s breast health care decisions. The November 18 statement by Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius reiterating that the government’s policies remain unchanged and continue to support current mammography screening guidelines was welcome news to those like the Avon Foundation for Women who were concerned about possible ramifications of the USPSTF recommendations.
• The lack of access to care for medically vulnerable populations continues to be a priority for the Avon Foundation. One third of all women who qualify for screening are already not being screened due to lack of access and barriers to screening and treatment. Resources to link women to providers include the Avon Foundation Breast Care Fund (www.avonbreastcare.org) and Avon Foundation Safety Net hospitals (www.avonfoundation.org/resourceguide).
• The new USPSTF recommendations address concerns with current mammography technology and the level of scientific understanding about breast cancer disease progression, aggressiveness, and likelihood of metastasis. The Avon Foundation for Women continues its commitment to fund cutting-edge research to develop new tests for more accurate risk assessment, to better determine which women benefit from mammography, ultrasound or MRI screening, and accelerate advances in tumor analysis technology, to better determine the appropriate level of aggressiveness for treatment. Information about Avon Foundation funded grants in these categories can be accessed via this link, or visit the funding webpage for a full grant listing.

You Can Help Find a Cure

Scientific studies are a huge part of helping experts understand what causes breast cancer and how to prevent it. And that means researchers are looking for women to participate.

That's why the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation and the Avon Foundation for Women created Love/Avon Army of Women: to gather those who might be interested.

Don't worry - it's not as involved as you might think, and anyone can do it (whether you're completely healthy, are at high risk for breast cancer or are a breast cancer survivor yourself). All you have to do to join is provide some basic info (name, age, city, and state you live in) at armyofwomen.org. You'll then receive e-mail updates announcing new studies that need volunteers.

If you fit the criteria for a specific study and would like to participate, just reply to the e-mail. The opportunities are varied: They range from basic surveys to more invasive procedures. This gives you the chance to decide how much you're comfortable with.

-Abigail L. Cuffey

This is taken from an article in Woman's Day Magazine. (October issue) Check out more breast cancer awareness info at www.womansday.com.

$10,000 Donation to NorthEast Foundation

Monday was the big day! We met at the entrance to the Breast Imaging Center at CMC-Copperfield to give the $10,000 check to the directors of the program. We had alot of support from some of our survivors and sponsors who attended and wore their FOC shirts!


Adam Cook, the director of the NE Foundation, started with a thank you and a brief update of the NE Foundation's success with their breast health program. He told us some very interesting facts and statistics about healthcare in our community - which has improved since the founding of the NE Foundation!

Here we are with our oversized check! $10,000 to the order of NorthEast Foundation!

Then we moved inside for a tour of the Breast Imaging Center. Paula Galvin showed us around and shared with us about the smallest details of the program. She mentioned that a lot of thought was put into the decor and feel of the lobby. They wanted women to feel like they were waiting in a spa atmosphere to reduce the stress and nerves while waiting. She shared about the "Be a Champion" campaign, where they train and inform mostly men about breast cancer and coping with it. Men can be such a huge part of their wife's battle against breast cancer.

Paula showed us around the facility and explained the process of being examined and consulting with your doctor, etc. She showed off their dressing rooms, where women wait to be taken in for their mammograms. Each dressing room has one of our survivors' prints in it with a successful story of breast cancer. There are journals in each room for women to write their thoughts and feelings, which is inspiring for the next woman to look through.

One thing that really stood out in our minds was a wall of information in the lobby. In the center is an image that the NE Foundation has used as their representation on all their breast cancer pieces. Notice the image is three young women of different races. Paula expressed how that image was strategically chosen because of the word they're trying to spread. You don't have to be older. You don't have to be unhealthy. Breast cancer affects everyone!

We appreciate Paula for taking the time to show us around. We really enjoyed the tour! Thank you to Meredith, Adam, and Paula for attending our event and supporting us along the way! We appreciate all of our sponsors and everyone who attended the event. This year was a success and we hope next year will be even bigger! What do you think we should set our goal at for next year - $15,000? $20,000? Thoughts?

Focused on a Cure isn't idle until then. We've got the Avon Walk fastly approaching in October. Relay for Life in May of 2010. And I'm sure find a few more in between!

Thanks for all your support!