Mexico City Exhibit

Haab Project, CDMX, Mexico (2025)

The story behind the exhibit

Twenty-five years ago, an artist’s breast cancer diagnosis sparked the message and mission that The Keep A Breast Foundation continues today. The organization was founded to honor artist and mother-to-be, Margaret Kilgallen, who was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 31. Her fight, story, and the support her journey inspired remain the drive behind Keep A Breast’s mission: to reduce breast cancer risk and its impact globally through art, education, prevention, and action.

The art of Frida Kahlo, who famously painted her own medical casts, became the artistic catalyst for the chest casts Keep A Breast Founder, Shaney jo Darden, has been creating for more than two decades – inviting artists, survivors, and supporters to be part of the conversation promoting breast health and early detection. As the birthplace of Keep A Breast’s artistic inspiration, we honor Mexico’s culture of resilience, creativity, passion, and community that continues to guide our work as we empower young people to take their breast health into their own hands.

We mark a milestone in Mexico City, commemorating our 25th anniversary with a Keep A Breast Art Exhibition at Haab Project. This exhibition features seventeen breast casts, sculpted from women of impact and breast cancer survivors, while showcasing the work of Mexican artists, including a live painting of a breast cast by artist Alina Kiliwa. We are celebrating our birthday with you: the artists, women supporters, and survivors who have helped to shape an enduring cross-border community and dialogue around breast health.

Our Work In Mexico

Mexico is at the heart of Keep A Breast’s work. Proceeds from the sale of exhibit artwork will benefit local organizations and healthcare centers, including Fundación de Cáncer de Mama, Fundación Salvati, Centro Oncológico Integrado, Fundación Cima, and Pintadita a tu Salud. We are proud of our many years of collaboration with these esteemed organizations and many others, providing life-saving breast health education to young people and families in Mexico.

Together we raise awareness, break down taboos, and promote early detection as a powerful tool against breast cancer. Through the free Keep A Breast App, Spanish-speaking communities across Mexico and beyond have access to critical education, self-check reminders, and direct support.

Voices from Mexico

“It’s amazing to be among so many women over 25 years that Shaney jo has cast. The breast cast is a legacy of Keep A Breast, and being able to have my chest serve as a canvas, one of many, that helps start conversations about breast health and breast cancer prevention, is truly awe-inspiring. I am also proud to have this breast cast be part of the exhibition in Mexico City, on display with so many other casts from amazing, powerful, strong women. It’s a moment of storytelling, of art, and of connection.” —Camille Lozano Barker, Castee

“Loving yourself is taking care of yourself, so it’s very important to know your body, learn to identify changes or warning signs, and reduce risk factors for developing breast cancer. Fear and ignorance must no longer be barriers to staying healthy. It’s essential that breast self-examination, annual medical checkups, and breast imaging studies, starting at the appropriate age, be part of your personal care. Remember that no one is exempt; unfortunately, more and more young women face this battle every day. Remember that prevention and early detection save lives.” —Dr. Betsabé Hernández, Deputy Medical Director of FUCAM