The bOOb Lady's Blog » Breast Cancer

Give the Girls Some Love: Make a Pledge to Benefit Breasts

The bOOb Lady — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 23:54:27 +0000

Mammography is one of the most effective methods to screen for and detect early stages of breast cancer. Yet there are still plenty of barriers preventing access to this life-saving technology, including an ability to pay for the test. Since the national average cost of a mammogram is $150, it can be quite a financial stretch for those without health insurance.

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and to remind all women to schedule an annual mammogram, Hologic has launched a new patient outreach initiative at www.promisetome.com. For every ten women who make the pledge to get a mammogram on their calendars, Hologic will donate $1 towards screening an uninsured woman. If you or a loved one can’t afford a mammogram, the Promise To Me website lists a number of ways to obtain low-cost or free mammograms.

Make the promise to yourself, or pass the pledge on to the breasts closest to you. One click of your mouse helps spread the love!

Wedding Flair to Benefit Breast Cancer Research

The bOOb Lady — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 22:08:53 +0000

The bOOb Lady is proud to take part in Wedding Flair, Saturday, April 18th, from 11:00 am-7:00 pm. This bridal extravaganza is sponsored by Common Folk Company and PaperSource and features lifestyle expert Kelley Moore. All day (from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm), guests can enjoy luxurious table tops and the opportunity to participate in hands-on projects that will take any wedding from ordinary to extraordinary. You’ll learn about the newest styles, and can shop unique vendors to meet all your happily-ever-after needs. A portion of the day’s proceeds benefit The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. I’ll be on hand to answer any questions you may have, and provide tips on how to put your best breast forward on your special day. Common Folk is located at 15600 N.E. 8th St., Bellevue, WA. Stroll and shop from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm, or attend an evening cocktail party from 5:00-7:00 pm to get the scoop on the latest wedding trends!

Perfect 2009 Pin-Up Calendar

The bOOb Lady — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 19:15:48 +0000

Want to buy a unique calendar gift this year? Artist and breast cancer survivor Barbara Minas paints a new picture of today’s perfect pin-up girl. With mastectomy patients as her models, Barbara’s semi-nude portraits sport colorful shaved heads and tattooed chests. Barbara believes all women are beautiful, even without breasts.

“’Pinup Girls’ have traditionally represented an idealized female figure,” says Barbara. “The figures in each month of my calendar represent the positive, strong spirit, courage, inner strength and gratefulness of breast cancer survivors. Each month depicts a woman who has survived breast cancer…month after month, until at the end of the year the December figure is joyfully kicking her heels in the air.”

Proceeds from the calendar will be used to help breast cancer causes. You can purchase Barbara’s inspiring desk calendar (only $15 with shipping and handling) at www.barbaraminas.com.

P.S. If you are or know of a breast cancer survivor who might want to model for one of these paintings, please contact Barbara at barbminas@cox.net!

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Expose Yourself to the Blogger Boobie-Thon

The bOOb Lady — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 19:51:28 +0000

Breast Cancer Awareness month (October) is just around the corner, and one of the more creative — and controversial — fundraisers in support of the cause is the Blogger Boobie-Thon. For one week, bloggers around the globe expose their “girls” (covered and uncovered) to benefit breast cancer research. The effort doesn’t discriminate, as man-boobs are most welcome. (They also have a beautiful gallery of breastfeeding photos.) You can pledge dollars, bare your own, or support the effort by providing technical assistance. Anyway you look at them, you’ve gotta love the Blogger Boobie-Thon motto: “we share because we care.”

Saving Tania’s Privates

The bOOb Lady — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:57:59 +0000

If you didn’t think it possible to laugh about breast cancer, you haven’t read Tania Katan’s award winning memoir about her battle with this disease. Now she’s taken her humorous and loving “mammoir” and adapted it to the stage in Saving Tania’s Privates. It’s a show about “far out families, quirky girlfriends and boobs — but not necessarily in that order.” Get a sneak peak on YouTube!

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Boobs Book Uncovered

The bOOb Lady — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 00:09:46 +0000

Please welcome to the world the cover for my book, available this October from Seal Press. Give it up for my girls, please!

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Boobies for Boobies

The bOOb Lady — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 21:26:34 +0000

Join The bOOb Lady on November 26^th at Chop Suey in Seattle, for a burlesque fundraiser to benefit breast cancer. While I won’t be there twirling my amateur tassels, I will be donating my limited edition bOOb glasses to auction off at the event. The evening promises to deliver a unique blend of entertainment, with professional burlesque and cabaret stars such as The Swedish Housewife, Lucky Penny, and Vienna Le Rouge—just to name a few. Proceeds benefit the National Breast Cancer Foundation, an organization funding research into the prevention of and cure for breast cancer.

Tickets are $12 in advance ($15 at the door) and can be purchased on-line at Brown Paper Tickets. The evening includes a charity auction featuring signed Burlesque photos, posters, event logo t-shirts, and much, much more. For more info, please visit Boobies for Boobies. Grab your girls and help support a truly breastactular cause!

© 2006
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Pink Ribbon Worry

The bOOb Lady — Thu, 05 Oct 2006 21:26:18 +0000

October is awash in pink ribbons, urging us to take care of our breast health or help support the cause of finding a cure for breast cancer. But for some, it’s also a devastating reminder of their own battle with the disease. In this month’s Glamour magazine, you’ll find Kelly Corrigan’s touching story of survival. At 36 years of age, she was diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer. Kelly writes a powerful essay about how spotting pink ribbons all around her was “enough to make [her] scream.” Reading her story will give you special insight into the reaction one breast cancer survivor has to the “pinking” of October.

Kelly’s essay is part of Circus of Cancer, a great site for those wishing to support friends diagnosed with breast cancer. Here you’ll find advice on what to say; how you can help (from cooking a meal to buying her a front-closure bra); to what to expect when she undergoes breast cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy. The site includes sassy, free e-cards, and gifts you won’t find anywhere else. It may not be wrapped in pink, but Circus of Cancer does offer concrete ways to help friends, and their families.

Breast cancer is scary, but thanks to modern medical science, less deadly. Don’t let the pink season get you down. Keep in touch with your own girls and the latest in breast cancer research, all year round.

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Gettin’ the Boob Scoop on Breast Cancer Risk

The bOOb Lady — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 00:40:05 +0000

In line with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, More magazine’s October issue devotes 20 pages to the topic. They cover past, present and future ways to detect and prevent breast cancer; hormones and breast cancer; personal stories of survival; a patient’s guide on what to expect; and what to do if cancer re-occurs. This is all great, but seems geared to those already diagnosed or in treatment. These articles don’t address a woman’s overall risk of breast cancer and whether we can make lifestyle changes to prevent its occurrence.

One scary statistic, oft repeated, is that “one out of seven” women will get breast cancer. Does that mean one out of seven of your best girlfriends will get the disease? No. That number represents a lifetime risk of breast cancer, based on every woman reaching age 85, and doesn’t take into consideration family or lifestyle risk factors. For a better understanding of your future risk, go to More mag’s on-line site. Brought to you by Harvard Health Publications, you’ll find a comprehensive guide to breast cancer, including an enlightening chart with statistics for women ages 20 to 70 years young. Check it out, and be good to your girls!

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Makin’ Mammograms More Boob Friendly

The bOOb Lady — Mon, 04 Sep 2006 22:55:33 +0000

What woman likes to get a mammogram? It’s a procedure few of us relish: a stranger pokes and pulls, and finally squishes each of our breasts between two hard plates of plastic. We may find it painful, uncomfortable, or simply annoying. Standing half-naked in an overly chilled room (best for the equipment), our arm is positioned at some oddly tortuous, unnatural angle, while we watch the equipment flatten us like pancakes. We’re then asked to “please, hold your breath.” Let’s face it, this is no way to treat our “girls.”
The American Cancer Society recommends all 40+ gals get a mammogram at least once a year. Why? As we get older, our risk of breast cancer rises. Mammograms detect between 80%-90% of all breast cancers up to two years before a woman can even feel a lump. It’s the best breast check-up, so how can we make this annual experience a bit more pleasant?

First, make a date with a girlfriend. Schedule your mammograms on the same day and you’ll have someone to laugh with over the outdated magazines in the waiting room, or those stylish gowns they make you wear. Then, if either of you get a “call back” (the second exams technicians often need for more dense breasts); you’ve got some moral support during the wait for results.

Second, if you’ve shied away from getting your girls smooshed because you find it too uncomfortable, help is out there! Try the Woman’s Touch MammoPad™. This foam pad, developed by a female surgeon, fits directly onto the mammography machine. MammoPads are FDA approved and provide a soft cushion between your breast and the imaging plate. I tried one at my last mammogram, and found its warmth and softness especially helpful when asked to lean forward into the hard edge of the equipment. The one-time use, throw-away pad runs about $5.00. Check out their website to see if imaging centers in your area carry this product. If not, you can call or order one online for your next appointment.

Remember: don’t avoid life-saving mammograms. Make it a boob-friendly day. Afterward, you can dress your breasts in good health at your fave lingerie store, or celebrate in style at a girls-only lunch. Being good to your girls should be fun and rewarding!
© 2006
All rights reserved

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