the problem:
A common misconception many young women have is that it will not effect them until we are in our 40’s or older. Through the campaign, which I cofounded, entitled "I Support My Girls," we work to raise money which goes towards an organization called Sharsheret, which works towards education, fund raising for prevention and cures as well as making connections with women who are currently suffering and women who have survived breast cancer. This, in turn, creates a cohesive, symbiotic community. We, as our own entity, also work to spread education and awareness on the varying issues surrounding breast cancer as well as working towards prevention. While this is applicable to women at any age, we have grown to have goals to enhance our efforts to target young women specifically to show the many risks we face even in our teens and early adulthood.
Originally created as a philanthropy project connected to my sorority, Alpha Epsilon Phi, my cochair and I came up with the idea that ultimately reached women internationally (women in Canada, and an alumnus of our sorority in the UK). As the project grew, my cochair and I ran with the concept and are marketing the bras and the meaning behind them internationally.
vital stats:
people impacted:
24,000
people involved:
8
why it's important:
Breast cancer is an issue that effects all women internationally. It knows no race, ethnicity, age, religion or socioeconomic status. It is prejudice towards one group: women. Yet, a common misconception many young women have is that it will not effect them until a fairly arbitrary age. It has effected women in my family and close friends of my family's, as is the case with many people. Our primary goal is to make that known and take actions to educate and prevent the many facets surrounding breast cancer.
the plan of action:
We self-designed and patented sports bras which proudly display the double entendre, "I Support My Girls" on the front. The black and pink design also sports a sleek breast cancer ribbon with a different spin on its back, a badge of honor for the women not only directly affected by breast cancer but for all those who have and appreciate their “girls.” And the women responded: originally planning on selling 200, within a week we were flooded with well over 1200 hundred orders thanks to social media connections. With the gracious production support of Kotis Design, bras were available to the public for $20 each online with 100% of the profits benefiting Sharsheret. Sharsheret is an organization dedicated to awareness and prevention of breast cancer and therapeutic connections for women suffering from breast cancer with women who have survived breast cancer. Ultimately, we hope to have an organization that connects to young women on a large scale to educate them on the risks of breast cancer as it differs for each woman according to genes, and the preventative measures they can be taking at a young age.
project updates: