Photos

Here is the photo gallery. I wish we had taken more pics, but the night flew by. It was incredible and wonderful. Tom videotaped the whole thing, so soon I'll have a link to You Tube, so you can watch snippets. In the meantime, here are the photos. Unfortunately, I didn't get a pic of Rob Peck, one of our speakers. Nor did I get pics of Pam Roberts or Chris Carpenter, or some of the performers. But, if you scroll down the page, or look at older posts, you can see their pics and read all about them. Here we go....

Cookies!

The marvelous and scrumptous Second Street Baking Company donated 50 pink ribbon cookies that we sold for 2 bucks a pop. Wow, were they deliciously sweet. Thanks Christa!

Free Bag or Bracelet

Everyone got a free pink ribbon tote bag, or they chose a free pink plastic Red Sox bracelet, when they entered the Voo.

Literature

I collected a mass of breast cancer and breast health literature, made available for folks to take home. I still have a ton, so if you need anything let me know.

Silent Auction Items

Here is a sampling of the silent auction items. There were also about 12 gift certificates up for auction.

Your Keeping Abreast Experience

If you would like to post a comment about your Keeping Abreast experience, I would love to hear from you and will copy and paste your comment into a post, so it will be visible all the time (without having to click on the "comment" button). I can't seem to find an actual "Guestbook" widget for the blog, so that's how I can do it for now.

Those I have spoken with have shared such touching feedback. If you would like to share your thoughts, feelings, inspriations, or dreams, please do. Thanks. I'll be posting pictures soon, and snippets of the video.

Blessings,
Sue

Thank you, thank you, thank you

This will be a brief hello and thanks to everyone who attended last night's event at The Rendezvous, and to all the beautiful performers and speakers. I especially want to thank Jamie Berger and the staff at The Voo for their generosity and presence in our community. You all are superb. My heart is overflowing with the love and support I felt last night. I'm pretty pooped today, so I will write more tomorrow. I just wanted to be sure and thank all of you for everything. I feel so blessed. In terms of financial success, we raised about $1,500, and donations keep arriving. Just this morning I received $100 from one of my neighbors. I don't quite know what to say other than thank you. For me, last night was a magical event and I'm so happy that everyone had such a great time. That was the whole point. And if it inspired you or motivated you or empowered you, that would be a wish come true for me. It is my life calling to use my challenges to make the world a better place. Your presence last night is a part of making that happen. May the ripples be continuous and far reaching.

Blessings to you all,
Sue

Why Keeping Abreast?

Keeping Abreast has many functions, perhaps the most important is to raise awareness about breast cancer rates, prevention, and treatment. My name is Susan Blauner. I received a breast cancer diagnosis on August 30, 2008, at the young age of 42, the mass was both invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). I had a partial mastectomy on September 24 with reconstruction at Baystate Comprehensive Breast Center in Springfield.The mass was 90% IDC and 10% DCIS, grade 3, stage TIIa, with a tumor size of 2.8 cm. I've just been told I need four cycles of chemotherapy - cytoxan and taxotere, followed by seven weeks of radiation, followed by five years of hormone therapy. For more information, visit Sue's Boob Blog. I've organized Keeping Abreast to defray out-of-pocket expenses related to treatment, such as gas money for getting to appointments, to purchase high-quality vitamins, to receive acupuncture, and so on.

Ten percent of all proceeds will benefit Rays of Hope, a non-profit organization that has raised over $6.5 million for breast cancer research over the past 14 years. Rays of Hope offers a plethora of free breast cancer survivor support services in the Valley: retreat weekends, support groups, guest speakers like Iditarod champion and breast cancer survivor DeeDee Jonrow, writing workshops, art classes, acupuncture, Reiki, massage. On Oct. 26 ROH held their annual Walk Toward the Cure for Breast Cancer. Christine Carpenter, Wellness Coordinator for ROH spoke at KEEPING ABREAST on Sunday, November 2. Thank you, Chris!

One in eight women get breast cancer by the age of 50. One in eight. Keeping Abreast provided critical prevention information for use in your own lives to stay healthy, as well as suggestions and guidelines for caring for a loved one who may be surviving breast cancer. To that end, I invited three guest speakers, several performers, and provided you with complimentary literature. It was an inspirational evening of incredible performances, empowering presenters and loads of laughter.


GUEST SPEAKERS
Pamela Roberts is a breast cancer survivor, writer, and artist who facilitates Spirit of the Written Word writing workshops for people touched by cancer and for those experiencing loss. Her ongoing workshop and art installation, One in Eight:The Torso Project, seeks to foster healing and awareness around the issue of breast cancer. It will open at the Northampton Center for the Arts in March 2009. She is Program Director of Forest Moon: Celebrating Survivorship. Pam spoke about her journey through breast cancer, and read from her written collection.

Christine Carpenter is the Wellness Coordinator of Rays of Hope. Ten percent of Keeping Abreast proceeds benefited Rays of Hope. Christine spoke about breast cancer prevention and informed the audience about the many programs offered by Rays of Hope. She also gave us a summary of the 2008 Rays of Hope Walk Toward a Cure for Breast Cancer.

Rob Peck is a professional speaker, who blends humorous social commentary with innovative juggling and balancing visuals. His presentations combine inspirational stories and motivational messages with timely, and creatively customized, comedic references and new vaudeville style parodies. Rob is the founder and Creative Education Advocate of ZESTWORKSs, a speaking, training, and consulting firm. loved by Franklin County audiences for their zany antics, balancing acts, juggling, mime, easing Day Night," anCounty audiences for their zany antics, balancing acts, the whole family, featuring classic standards as well as contemporary tunes.
PERFORMERS














Lenny Zarcone, Emcee is an actor, singer, and entertainer. He is a founding member of The Wright Brothers Comedy Troupe, well-loved by Franklin County audiences for their zany antics, balancing acts, juggling, mime, and crowd pleasing humor. Lenny is host and creator of "Bank in the Day Night," an elegant evening of song for the whole family, featuring classic standards as well as contemporary tunes.

Shenandoah is a professional hoop-dancer based in the Pioneer Valley. She started hooping in 2001 and has been dancing, learning, teaching, making, and sharing hoops ever since. She was a featured performer at this year's Franklin County Fair. Hoop dancing is Shenandoah's passionate purpose and honor to share with you.















Antonio Aversano is a spirit-guided improvisational musician and has been exploring sound as a tool for healing, awakening, and transformation for over 20 years. He plays the Aboriginal didgeridoo, the Native American flute, and various indigenous hand drums. Antonio’s musical path continues to feel divinely guided and he transmits the healing energy of spirit through the universal vibrations of sound.

Jen Lambert is an artist and poet living in western Massachusetts. She paints, draws and does printmaking. She is also a graphic designer and teacher. Jen has an MFA from the Instituto Allende in Mexico. She shared poetry with us and her artwork was up for auction.

Ferne Bork and Bruce Kahn are members of the Tinen, Bork, Kahn Trio, familiar to local audiences for their unique sound, and superb harmonies. Ferne Bork performed in the original Broadway cast of Jesus Christ Superstar in 1971. She is operatically trained, and her soulful voice touches us deep in the heart as she winds through the melodies. Her husband, Bruce Kahn, accompaned on guitar and Dan Tinen sang back-up harmony.

FREE LITERATURE
















I have gathered a large amount of breast related, and breast cancer related literature from Baystate Comprehensive Breast Center, Franklin Medical Center's Mammography Suite, and Pioneer Women's Health.

SILENT AUCTION














Auction items items included: Signed first editions of Joanne Harris's The Girl with No Shadow, and Neal Stepehnson's Anathem, compliments of William Morrow & Co. Two tickets to Commonwealth Opera's Madama Butterfly. From Mill Valley, CA, a one-of-a-kind handmade handbag from Sarah Oliver Handbags. Gift certificates for Second Street Bakery, computer work, web design, Reiki, biofeedback, a voice lesson. Jewelry, glass, photographs, a handcrafted and medicine cabinet, a gift from the Great Falls Discovery Center, and much more.

FREE TOTE BAG











The first 20 people through the doors received a free pink ribbon tote bag or pink Red Sox bracelet.