Every year SIMA Humanitarian Fund has this amazing party called Liquid Nation Ball to raise funds for social and humanitarian non-profit organizations whose efforts are focused on improving the quality of life, health, and/or welfare of people! Keep A Breast being a favorite (of course). Miss Nixon grabbed her camera and her fellow young breast cancer survivor gal pals (Allison Briggs, Katie Carney, and Lauren Parks) and headed to the party!
Kassia Meador, KAB Ambassador, alongside Jessie Billauer of Life Rolls On presented Jason Mraz, Grammy award winning artist, the highest honor -2010 SIMA Humanitarian of the Year. Rad items were auctioned off like surf trips to Tavarua and Nicaragua, exclusive dinners at fancy restaurants or private residences, surf lessons with Greg Long (went for big bucks) and even NBA Hall of Famer Bill Walton auctioned off a once in a lifetime Lakers experience.The gals had a blast and we are so grateful for the SIMA grant. We will use the funds for our Save Our Sisters [SOS] Breast Cast Exhibition, Surf Events and Surf Team. Thank you SIMA!
We are so excited rally car driver Erika Detota donated her time to influence the lives of her fans at the New England Forest Rally. The press stage prior to the race was set up at the rally for journalists and media related attendants to accompany a driver for a ride on an actual race stage for what is called “shakedown” or practice stage for the drivers to get re acquainted with the conditions. Erika decided that instead of taking press around that she would take Caitlin Riviere on her first rally ride experience, and educate her on how to lower her risk for breast cancer!
“I got to go for a ride in a female driven rally car and received some great information on Keep a Breast! What more could I ask for?” said Caitlin after her ride with Ms. Detota.
The rally went well for Erika, setting some impressive stage times and in a great position going into Day 2. A few miles into a very long rough stage Erika got a flat tire and lost a great deal of time getting to a safe place to change it. Her co-driver and coach Jason Smith is happy to report success at their first gravel event together. The team is competing in the United States Rally Championship this year where they are in first place in the 2-Wheel Drive class. Expect to see more of Erika – her car will be the one on the track with the KAB stickers racing September 6-7 at International Rally New York!
The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting took place in June 2010. ASCO sets the absolute standard for patient care worldwide and leads the way in research aimed at improving the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of Cancer. One of our favorite Breast Medical Oncologists, John S. Link MD, attends each year. Recently he helped interpret some of the 10,647 abstracts (fancy word for research studies) that were presented at this meeting. Approximately 1,000 abstracts pertained to Breast Cancer and ranged from sea sponges being used in treatment, Bisphosphonates lowering Breast Cancer risk, to the results of the first national public breast cancer screening program in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Read on for more info about additional hot topics: Yoga and Sentinel Node Biopsy!
Since most of us KAB gals love Yoga, it was reassuring to read Abstract 9013 & 9099 because both proved the amazing benefits of Yoga (improved sleep quality, lowered fatigue, increased quality of life, reduced need for sleep medications, and reduced stress.
Sentinel Node Biopsy studies provide “practice-changing” results for Breast Cancer. When early-stage breast cancer is removed, the lymph node closest to the cancer (sentinel node) often is removed and sent to pathology for evaluation. Removing this single node is called a sentinel node biopsy. Three studies reviewed suggested that routinely removing the underarm (axillary) lymph nodes during early-stage Breast Cancer surgery may not be beneficial (improve survival) for many women. Each woman’s situation is unique and should be treated uniquely.
Many, many abstracts are available for your viewing pleasure at: chicago2010.asco.org.
What are all those chemicals in your shampoo? your lipstick? your aftershave? And what do they have to do with asthma, breast cancer and learning disabilities?
It’s time to join the Non Toxic Revolution and watch the Story of Cosmetics. A 7-minute film exposing the ugly truth about personal care products – brought to you by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, Annie Leonard’s Story of Stuff Project and Free Range Studios.
Keep A Breast feels this video is incredibly essential. We think this video if this video could reach millions of people we would really inspire change!
This video is just in time to build momentum for groundbreaking safe cosmetics legislation – the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010! For the first time in 70 years, we have a real chance to pass a bill that would eliminate chemicals linked to cancer, birth defects and other health problems from the products women, men and children put on their bodies every day.
Want to share the video and tell friends and family how they can ask Congress to act? Send an e-card about The Story of Cosmetics and help us reach a million people!
We’re going to need a lot of strong voices to pass safe cosmetics legislation, so please stay involved and spread the word!
Studies have shown that stress actually can promote cancer indirectly by weakening the immune system’s anti-tumor defense or by encouraging new tumor-feeding blood vessels to form. In fact, stress is one of the major causes of disease.
Pro Surfer and Surf into Yoga instructor Rochelle Ballard teaches us that no matter what you are doing or where you are, your breathe can help to calm you down and prepare you to respond in the most dynamic way.
Its all in the way you breathe. The most important thing to activate in the body is the breathe through the diaphragm, inside of the rib cage . It brings more oxygen in the body, sending blood flow to circulate the system.
As a surfer, it is important to open the chest and strengthen the upper back. Paddling causes excessive forward rotation, shortening the muscle and connective tissue, which leads to tight muscles, inflamation, and pain. Here is a pose that can open up your shoulders, chest, low back and legs before paddling out.
The Prasarita Padottnasana.
1. Start with the feet spread wider than the hips, toes face in.
2. Interlace the hands behind the back. Open your your palms facing in towards your body. If your chest opens up, you are doing it correctly.
3. With your thumbs and palms open, fingers still interlaced, Inhale through the ribs rising your chest up and the hands softly pull the shoulders back.
4. Exhale with the Haaaa sound releasing carbon dioxide, tension in the jaw, lengthening the neck, and drawing your shoulders down with your hands.
5. On the next inhale rise the chest open, bend the knees and exhale the hands up and over your head, Haaaa your breathe out and pull your belly button into towards your spine.
6. Take a couple breathes there with your inhale rising half way up reaching the hands towards the sky and exhale release the body down, hands over the head.
7. Rise up with an inhale to release out of the pose.
I first learned of KAB while my 14 year old son and I were at a concert 2 years ago in NJ. We went over to the booth to see what it was about and I explained to my son what a great cause this was. We purchased stickers and a shirt, made a donation, came home, put the sticker on his guitar and told my husband and daughter about what we learned. Three months ago my son bought a I love boobies bracelet at Zumiez, and soon his friends were wearing them. I was so proud of the 14 year old boys and girls. Well 4 weeks ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Because of this program my children were not afraid to talk about my cancer and they are more aware then ever how it affects everyone. Two years ago, at that concert, I never thought I would be 40 years old and be the first one in my family to have cancer. Thanks for all you do for this foundation!
Here are photos from the casting last night. The sign I am holding my 11 year old daughter Olivia and her friend Taylor made me over the weekend. I am so thankful Keep A Breast was able to send me the Treasured Chest kit. Now I will have this as a wonderful memory that my friends and I created, because of your generosity. Thanks for the Breast memories!
Hey guys its Shana & Ant, your favorite Keep A Breast volunteers from the Zumiez Couch Tour! After 6 weeks of touring the entire country we have come to the grand finale of out amazing adventure. We have been incredibly lucky to have met so many amazing people who have so generously provided their inspirational stories and advice for us to share. We hope that we have been able to aid you all in having your voices heard in order to help spread awareness and educate those that are unaware, misinformed, or who need support. Thank you to everyone that participated in our Imagine If… Campaign, we hope that has helped you to realize how cancer effects everyone’s lives as well as providing a source of comfort in knowing that however you have been affected by cancer you are not alone.
There is an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment as we come to the end of this tour. We released over 2 dozen seed bombs across the country in order to reduce our carbon footprint. Outside of the Zumiez events we have been able to spread awareness by sharing the Keep A Breast message to just about everyone we have encountered along the way. We have also documented the whole journey through video, pictures, and these blogs to share our story and inspire YOU to get involved.
It has been an absolute pleasure working with the Zumiez crew and their sponsors. Thank you to all of the skate teams, bands, & guest artists that helped create the 12 customized boards that are to be raffled off to 12 lucky kids that signed up at our tent. We sincerely appreciate everyone involved for being so good to us during this crazy trip. We are truly grateful for this opportunity and have not taken a bit of it for granted. Its been a truly awe inspiring trip for the both of us. We only hope that we have been able to reach you all just as much as you all have been able to reach us. We hope to see you next year Couch Tour!
Anyone can become a Keep A Breast Foundation Member with as little as a $25 donation! But if you find us out on the road at our traveling education booth you can become a KAB member for only $15! Becoming a member will help increase breast cancer awareness among young people so they are better equipped to make choices and develop habits that will benefit their long-term health and well being. Your tax deductible donation will help eradicate breast cancer by supporting our efforts of exposing young people to methods of prevention, early detection and support.
By joining our membership you are also automatically entered to win amazing prizes! This summer Keep A Breast has teamed up with SJC Drum and Venture Guitars for some amazing prizes including a SJC custom drum head and Venture custom guitar. Hurry up and become a member today!
Emergen-C Pink® and The Keep A Breast Foundation are awarding up to five (5) $10,000 research grants to admirable organizations or individuals dedicated to putting an end to breast cancer through positive impact.
Keep A Breast wants to encourage others to help us spread the word about breast cancer prevention, early detection, and the importance of living a healthy toxic free lifestyle through our grants program. Our actions impact the world on a higher note than most realize. In this fast paced world we live in, it is easy to forget to be our own leaders daily. Keep A Breast is looking for these leaders and organizations that are taking a stand to make the world a better, healthier place for future generations through alternative care, environmental effects or cutting edge research.
Hey guys its Shana & Ant, your friendly Keep A Breast volunteers from the Zumiez Couch Tour!
We are going on our fifth week of tour and we have had some crazy adventures and experienced some erratic weather to say the least. At this point we have hit all of our west coast and southern events, and the kids have had some amazing responses to our Imagine If… Campaign!
We have also had some extra time to see some family and friends along the way and have received overwhelming positive reaction to our work with KAB. It seems like everyone we meet wants to get involved, including some of the bands and skate teams who have joined us on the tour. We have had the opportunity to meet up with the bands Just Surrender and Hit the Lights, and the skate teams for Lakai, DGK, and Volcom. Thanks to all those guys for rockin the KAB wear and being all around awesome dudes!
Throughout our journey we have been trying to meet up with artists to each paint 1 of 12 KAB skateboard decks to be raffled off at the end of tour. We met up with our buddy Mike O’Farrell who is an awesome tattoo artist in Colorado who so generously donated his time and skills to one of these decks. We’re looking forward to seeing what other artists we can bump into to get crafty with us over the next 2 weeks.
Gorilla gardening with the seed bombs from GreenAid has been amazing! We have been throwing these little balls of clay and aggressive growing plants all over this country to help reduce our carbon footprint! We have even recruited a few gorilla gardening pirates to help us make a difference as we go along.
Follow our adventures on facebook.com/keepabreast and twitter.com/keepabreast we are posting daily blurbs on where we are and what were doing. We have come a long way and have a long way to go but its been a truly beautiful experience so far. We are looking forward to seeing what lies ahead on the East Coast for the last few events. If you have missed us on the road or just can’t get enough – Here is live video feed from today’s event!
