Keep A Breast Foundation

The Keep A Breast Foundation is a Carlsbad, California, United States, non-profit organization that uses art and educational programs to raise awareness of methods of prevention and early detection of breast cancer.

History

Alacer Corporation

Erika Detota - rally driver and Keep A Breast ambassador

In March 2008, the Alacer Corporation announced that they would contribute 50 percent of all profits from one of their product lines to the Keep A Breast Foundation. Keep A Breast received the first quarterly installment of US$40,000 in February 2008.^[1]

Eighth anniversary auction

In October 2008, the group celebrated its 8th anniversary with an auction of one-of-a-kind celebrity painted breast casts. Over 50 painted busts were auctioned, including busts from burlesque performers Julie Atlas Muz (Miss Exotic World 2006) and Tigger (first ever best boylesque), painted by rock stars Iggy Pop, Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth and Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo. Other notable casts featured included surfer Jen Smith, Amber Everson of the Glossines, Kristin Gundred of the Grand Ole Party, and several San Diego breast cancer survivors.^[2]

Shot in the Pit

In December 2008, Keep A Breast Foundation, a fundraising photo exhibition called Shot in the Pit was held through Keep A Breast's Music For Awareness program. The exhibition featured band photos from the summer music festival Vans Warped Tour, taken by photographer Erin Caruso. Bands and artists involved in the exhibition included Katy Perry, From First to Last, Paramore, Story of the Year, Shwayze, 3Oh!3, Jacks Mannequin, Mayday Parade, Angels and Airwaves, Gym Class Heroes and All Time Low. Tom DeLonge, guitarist and vocalist from Blink-182 and Angels and Airwaves said at the time:

Never before has a non-profit organization touched me like Keep A Breast. Like millions of others, I have been plagued by the devastating affects of breast cancer hitting not one, but multiple members of my family. Most recently, my aunt Theresa was diagnosed with breast cancer. It is extremely painful to sit and watch, helplessly praying for a life to be saved from an unrelenting, unseen force.^[3]

Partnership with Macbeth Athletics'

Macbeth Athletics was the temporary name for Macbeth Footwear during their 2005 marketing campaign "The Sport of Life." Macbeth Footwear is a company created by Mark Hoppus and Tom DeLonge from the platinum selling punk band Blink 182 and Jon Humphrey, a former concert promoter and vice president of the skateboard company Adio Shoes.

During 2005 the marketing campaign, the Keep A Breast Foundation and Macbeth Athletics united to host an online auction of plaster casts of the female torso painted by top musicians and artists to fund breast cancer education and outreach programs for teens and young adults.

Among the notables whose casts were auctioned included international Burlesque star Dita Von Teese, Catherine D'Lish, Yasha Young (who supported the foundation in Japan with the Tokyo Love Show), Maya Ford of The Donnas, Rosa Blasi of Strong Medicine, Kelly Hu of X2, the wives of No Doubt, pro surfers Lisa Andersen and Layne Beachley, Katy Perry and more. Lending their artistic talents to decorate the casts were the Foo Fighters, DJ Greyboy, Tom DeLonge, members of No Doubt, Alkaline Trio, Taking Back Sunday, New Found Glory, and Switchfoot. The auction was held through eBay during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, October 1–31, 2005. The unique artwork was also showcased at gallery exhibitions in New York City on Oct. 6 and in Los Angeles on Oct. 22.

Despite the prevailing opinion that young women don't get breast cancer, the reality is that they can and do. One in every 250 women between the ages of 30 and 40 will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the next 10 years (American Cancer Society, 2005). "Knowledge is power in the fight against this disease", said Keep A Breast co-founder Shaney Jo Darden. "Our mission is to inspire young people to be comfortable with their bodies, aware of how everyday choices affect their health and confident to make decisions that have long term benefits."^[4]

I Love Boobies Bracelets

The "I Love Boobies" bracelets were created by the Keep A Breast Foundation in 2004. The Foundation created and sold a series of one-inch wide silicone rubber bracelets, emblazoned with the slogan "I ♥ Boobies! (Keep A Breast)" to raise money and create a conversation about breast cancer among young people. The positive and upbeat awareness-raising campaign was designed to make young people feel comfortable talking about a subject that is otherwise fearful and taboo.^[5]

As the bracelets became a fashion craze among teenagers, many school districts began to ban the wearing of the bracelets as the slogan conflicted with school dress codes that prohibit the wearing of any item that includes sexually suggestive language or pictures.^[6][7] It comes with a lot of different colors from blue to pink, which is the initial color for breast cancer, and it has been described as a unisex bracelet everyone and anyone can wear.^[8]

A dispute over such a ban reached the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. A panel of three of its judges heard the case, and it was then taken up to be re-heard by all 14 judges en banc.^[9][10] The court ruled 9-5 that the school's ban on the bracelets violated the students' right to free speech because the bracelets were not plainly offensive or disruptive and were speech conducted to raise awareness of a social issue.^[11][12] The U.S. Supreme Court later declined to take up the case.^[10]

References

External links

• http://www.keep-a-breast.org/about
• http://www.spencersonline.com/Keep-A-Breast/