The
Breast Cancer Alliance held its annual Benefit Luncheon and fashion
show on October 30, 2008 at the Hyatt Regency Greenwich. The
event raised nearly $1.4 million and set an attendance record
of over 830 tickets sold. The funds raised will support breast
cancer research, outreach and education programs in 2009. Benefit
Chair Susan Bevan was assisted by vice chairs Cathy Dann and Sharon
Phillips.
Guest speaker Anne Thompson energized the event by recounting her
own battle with breast cancer, recalling the enormity of her own
fight as well as the effort of all of the people around her – doctors,
nurses, family, and friends. Her uplifting message was, “You
can live with cancer, you can work with cancer, you can contribute
to your company, your country and your family.”
The event featured an appearance by the Faces of Light® program,
the community-based photo poster campaign that celebrates breast
cancer survivors, while raising awareness that early detection of
breast cancer saves lives and providing hope for those who will have
to make the journey. The Greenwich Faces of Light®, featuring
21 survivors who live, work or volunteer in Greenwich, was on display
at this year's Benefit.
The fashion show was the event's centerpiece, beginning with
a vintage fashion retrospective by Mitchells/Richards, which is celebrating
its 50 years in business. That was followed by a more modern
perspective, with looks for this fall as well as a preview of spring '09. The
pièce de résistance was the parade of 12 Faces of Light® survivors,
sporting fabulous spring fashions and modeling more than a little
grace and determination.
A moving and informative video, produced by Susan Holey and Carol
Santora, presented a humanizing glimpse of Dr. Gina Chung - scientist,
doctor, wife and mother - who spends her time searching for ways
to move closer to a cure for this disease. Dr. Chung received
the very first Breast Cancer Alliance Young Investigator Grant in
2001, and used that award as a stepping stone to qualify for larger
research grants as her career progressed.
