The Breast Cancer Alliance held its 14^th annual Benefit Luncheon and Fashion Show, Hope, Style, Life, on October 22 at the Hyatt Regency Greenwich, with some 800 guests in attendance. The event raised roughly $1.2 million, which will support breast cancer research, outreach and education programs.

 

Benefit co-chairs Mary Helen Holzschuh, Dee Mayberry and Lisa Skinner noted that this year’s event made a special effort to raise awareness and focus on the importance of early detection. When breast cancer is discovered and treated early, there is a 95% survival rate, but early diagnosis is key. The co-chairs pointed out, “Women spend so much time taking care of others that they often need to be reminded to take the time to take care of themselves. That’s good advice for women of every age, even young women in their 20s, 30s, and 40s.”
 

 

Guest speaker Geralyn Lucas is one of those young women. Geralyn, author of Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy, was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 27 and is now an activist and voice for women with breast cancer. Her lighthearted, enchanting demeanor and her amusing anecdotes connected with everyone in the audience. Despite her very personal, painful battle with this disease, her message was one of facing cancer with realism and unbridled hope as she reminded the audience that “Love is so much stronger than cancer.” Leaving the stage, Geralyn reiterated her belief that lipstick is a powerful symbol as she asked, “Can’t you taste the hope today?”

 

New this year was a “paddle raise” designed to encourage donations that will provide free mammograms for underserved women. Using the more than 800 whimsical bra-shaped paddles created by volunteer Jessie Drennen and her committee, guests held their paddles in the air to “bid” on certain dollar levels announced by emcee Scott Mitchell. “Do I hear $1,000? Do I hear $500?” Scott asked, as attendees enthusiastically raised paddles to pledge their donations. This fun and inspiring activity raised $108,000, which will go directly to providing mammograms and mammogram services for women in Connecticut and Westchester counties. At approximately $150 each, that’s 720 mammograms, made possible by the generous support of everyone who raised a paddle.

 

The fashion show, underwritten by our partner Mitchells/Richards, set a celebratory mood. The head-turning looks for fall and winter were a reminder that looking good and feeling great are for everyone – including breast cancer survivors. In fact, modeling in the finale were a dozen young breast cancer survivors, all diagnosed with breast cancer under the age of 40, whose courage and energy brought the crowd to its feet.

 

After lunch, the popular raffle took place, the proceeds of which support Alliance grants and programs. Prizes this year, to 16 lucky winners, included escapes to Palm Beach and Cape Cod, nights out in New York and Greenwich, catered parties, shopping sprees, health and beauty treatments and home decorating delights donated by local merchants. 

 

 

The Alliance would like to thank all of our donors, from the person who bought a $20 raffle ticket to the corporation that sponsored a portion of the program. It takes a team to fight breast cancer and we acknowledge that every donation counts.

 

In addition to all the individuals who make this event happen, we thank Greenwich Hospital for underwriting food for the event, PepsiCo, Inc. for underwriting beverages, MasterCard Worldwide for funding decorations, Stamford Hospital for underwriting the Benefit Journal, the Institute for Image-Guided RadioTherapy for underwriting the invitations, and Bobbi Brown Professional Cosmetics for supplying the lipsticks. We would also like to thank media sponsor Moffly Media and general sponsors Kekst & Co., IBM, Morgan Stanley, McCarter & English, LLP and Citi for their generous donations.

 

As always, the Benefit Luncheon depends on volunteers and committees who give their time and energy to produce invitations, create a design theme, solicit advertisements and raffle prizes, and plan everything that goes into this amazing day. Thanks to all of these wonderful women and men for ensuring that this year’s Benefit Luncheon will continue the wonderful and proud tradition of this organization.