What do you do in your spare time? Besides taking time with good friends and my dad, I devote quite a bit of time to an organization called Keep A Breast, an organization that dedicates themselves to youth in hopes of eradicating breast cancer through music and art and social awareness. Here is an article I had published back in May about the organization.
In the next couple of months, Sudburians are going to see and hear more about Keep A Breast Canada. A unique non-profit organization that creates plaster forms of the female torso, customized by fine artists and auctioned to raise consciousness and funding for breast cancer. Combining sculpture, philanthropy, and symbolic artistry, the one-of-a-kind plaster forms of the female torso are customized by artists and auctioned to raise funds for breast cancer programs all over the world. Through these programs Keep A Breast strives to eradicate breast cancer by inspiring young people to adopt lifestyle choices that have long-term health benefits.
KAB (its loving moniker), has been heavily active in the United States since 2001, and became a legal charity in Canada in 2008, after its first appearance at the three day Pemberton Festival.
Co-founder Shaney Jo Darden said this about why she started KAB all those years ago “When our co-founders mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, we wanted to do something to support the cause, but we weren’t sure what,” Darden recalls. “That’s when we realized there wasn’t really anything out there for us. We’d been doing art exhibitions and fashion shows for years, so we decided to go with what we were good at. We started doing plaster casts of breasts, sent them out to artists to be painted, raised money by selling them, and it really took off.”
With the support of highly visual surfers, snowboarders, skateboarders, musicians, and artists; Keep A Breast hopes to reach out to youth and educate them about their bodies and their surroundings through educational and awareness programs. Canada is striving to reach a point financially so that they can produce the programs they have designed to directly involve and educate Canadians.
Keep A Breast is not only unique in its delivery, it’s effective, focusing their presence at festivals, concerts and events that attract our youth – KAB hopes to teach youth about breast examinations, living a healthy lifestyle and knowing your body. Travelling with the Warped Tour each year has KAB reaching out to thousands of younger adults and teaching them about their bodies.
Next time you see someone walking down the street wearing a I “heart” Boobies t-shirt or bracelet, don’t be quick to judge, it is in fact a Keep A Breast t-shirt (part of the I Love Boobies campaign), and it’s a great conversation starter to teach you more about Keep A Breast and their mission of eradication breast cancer, through art, music, education and awareness. You can check out Keep A Breast online at Keep A Breast or join the Facebook page KAB Canada FB Page.
Michelle Murray is on the board of directors for Keep A Breast Canada after becoming involved with the charity during the 2008 Pemberton Festival in Pemberton BC.
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Keep A Breast Canada is preparing for their second event in Sudbury this summer. The 2010 Summerfest. With myself and a couple of amazing and devoted volunteers manning our Educational Booth, KAB CAN will continue working it's mission out to the people of Northern Ontario....
This is an organization that allows my passion to soar. It's an organization that takes a heavier edge to a disease that affects men and women of all ages. Check out the website, or join us on Facebook!
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