Knock Out Breast Cancer

Did you know?

On May 11, 2008, Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization changed their name to Breast Cancer Network of Strength.  Visit www.networkofstrength.org to read the press release and learn more.

~ Petra B.

UPDATE (May 18, 2008): 
Sacramento Breast Cancer Awareness Art Showcase June 10-21

Thursday, May 08, 2008 / Atherton PR

Local Artists Express Breast Cancer Messages through the Art Bra Show Running June 10-21 

(Sacramento, CA May 5, 2008)   Women’s Wisdom Project and the Albie Aware Breast Cancer Foundation have joined forces for the Art Bra Show to help bring more awareness to the need for breast health education and screening within breast cancer treatment programs. Sacramento Area artists have been invited to participate and create a special piece of art to be displayed June 10-21, 2008 at 919 20th Street. Using the bra as a symbol, artists have been sculpting, painting, stitching, and embellishing. Over 70 artists are contributing their work for this event. 

A special Sneak Preview display will be in the window of the University Art Store, 2601 J St. Sacramento, throughout the month of May.  

The Art Bra Show will open June 10th at 919 20th Street. A Second Saturday reception will be on June 14th  6-9 at the midtown Sacramento space. The event will feature wine, hors d’oeuvres and silent auction benefiting the Womens Wisdom Project and the Albie Aware Foundation. 

Jim and Joanie Ferry of 20th Street Gallery are hosting the show in the old WEAVE Thrift building. 

Learn more about  Women’s Wisdom Project ~ Petra B.

ORIGINAL MESSAGE:

From the Sacramento Bee, North Sacramento Section

Art show’s a winner, from A to D By Carlos Alcalá - calcala@sacbee.com

Published 12:00 am PST Thursday, January 24, 2008
Story appeared in CITY section, Page G1

Cross your art bras: People will turn just about anything into art. That’s why Helen Plenert got the idea of having a benefit art show with works made from bras. “I just thought it would be a fun thing to do,” said Plenert, who works for the Women’s Wisdom Project. “I thought I was just being so clever.” It was pretty clever, but she discovered it has been done before on the East Coast. No matter. She went ahead with the plans because she wanted to raise some funds for Women’s Wisdom’s art programs, part of the Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services. And while she’s at it, the bras also will support (yuk-yuk) Albie Aware, a breast cancer awareness foundation. “I hear the stories all the time,” she said, referring to women in the Women’s Wisdom Project who’ve gone through breast cancer themselves, or had family members who have. The show is open to all submissions. She expects to have work from ceramicist Tony Natsoulas and other local artists. Will Christo wrap bras around the Capitol for the show? Probably not. Famous national artists aren’t expected. “If I get a call from one of them, that’s great,” Plenert said. For more info on submitting bra art, call Plenert at (916) 456-1980. …

 Learn more about Albie Aware  ~ Petra B.

Fran Drescher walks the “tawk” as she lends her unique voice on Capitol Hill. Her vision for the Cancer Schmancer Movement is to ensure all women’s cancers are diagnosed in STAGE 1, when they are most curable. To this end, the Cancer Schmancer Movement will make right what’s wrong with women’s healthcare through political activism and education. This movement will alert our elected officials that the collective female vote is more powerful than that of the richest corporate lobbyist.

Learn more at:  http://www.cancerschmancer.org/index.php

Sarah Schmalenberger, hornist and musicologist, has launched the Life and Livelihood Study at http://www.musiciansurvivor.org in order to examine the physical and occupational well-being of women musicians who have had breast cancer. This national study has been designed to develop a profile of how the diagnosis and treatment of the disease affects women musicians. Physical problems during recovery from breast cancer treatment can be particularly burdensome to musicians, because of their physically demanding occupations or avocations. Unfortunately, scientific research on the number of women musicians diagnosed with breast cancer and the medical and occupational well-being of musicians after breast cancer is essentially nonexistent.

Schmalenberger, herself a survivor of breast cancer who has struggled with chronic pain from multiple surgeries, has assembled an investigative team of researchers to conduct this study, which features a web-based survey that musicians who have had completed their breast cancer treatment can take online. Toward that end, she invites all musicians who have had breast cancer to enroll in the study at the web address, and she invites anyone who knows such a “survivor” to encourage them to enroll in the study. Anonymity will be guaranteed, and no names will be recorded.

Schmalenberger anticipates that the findings from this study will provide a solid basis for further examination of the impact of breast cancer not only on musicians, but also on those in other fields where physical fitness, strength, and stamina are vital to occupational and general well-being.

For more information, you may contact Schmalenberger at scschmalenbe@stthomas.edu

http://www.musiciansurvivor.org

I came across these two advertisements in the January issue of Senior Magazine. ~ pb

Breaking Barriers Breast Cancer Support is looking for volunteers for transportation, in-home support, food delivery and emotional support.  447-2491, Marsha

American Cancer Society Discovery Shop needs more loyal volunteers at the Discovery Shop at 2744 Marconi Avenue (Taylor Center).  For additional information please call Tami at 484-0227.

Necessities Bag Sacramento, a 501(c)3 organization that supports women undergoing mastectomies, is in need of working space in which to collect and distribute various medical and comfort items to be distributed to mastectomy patients in the greater Sacramento area.  Can you help?  The ideal situation would be a secure back room, office or unused space in your business or organization, open during regular business hours or later, where a handful of volunteers could store items and prepare them for delivery to mastectomy patients through local hospitals and doctor’s offices.  Please consider donating space to this organization.   Check with your tax adviser, but I bet you could write off the donated space.  ~Petra B.

Contact Ellen at sacramento@necessitiesbag.org if you can help.  Or contact me  and I’ll put you in touch with Necessities Bag Sacramento.

Okay, seriously, this is the new Blog and Bulletin Board.   If you would like a bulletin posted, please Contact me. 

~ Petra B.

First the good news, the crashed harddrive was replaced for free from Dell Computer because my laptop was still under warranty.  Several Dell representatives helped us to get everything installed and running good.  Thank you!!!!

The bad news, I (yes, I have no one to blame but myself) failed to back up the aforementioned failed hard drive.  All of my “data” is gone. 

How does this affect you?  Well, if you have corresponded with me via email, asked to be on the Knock Out Breast Cancer mailing list, or written to me recently and have gotten no response, anytime before today, April 19, 2007, then your email and contact information has been lost to me.  Please contact me at www.knockoutbreastcancer.org/contact.htm  and let me hear from you!  I promise to back you up from now on.

~Petra B.

What year is it?  Okay, finally KOBC has a blog of it’s own. This space will mostly be used as a Bulletin Board, but occationally I will have an opinion to share or an announcement to make, just like this.  Since I’m not really a writer (blogger) I’m linking to several other breast cancer blogs for your information.   - Petra B.