Today is day 1 of my birthday month and Breast Cancer Awareness (BCA) month. I probably don’t have to go into detail about why I generally don’t like sharing this particular awareness month with my birthday. Still, this year I am doing something different to hopefully set a new tone! I am fundraising for two incredible organizations doing two very different things for the breast cancer community. I am a state captain for the Metavivor #lightupMBC campaign, and I am dancing my way down a runway for Runway4Recovery. I have linked the fundraising pages for these events just above this so that you don’t have to keep reading if you aren’t interested in the story. Otherwise, read on and see why I encourage you to donate to one or both of these organizations this October.

#LightUpMBC / Metavivor

Three years ago, on October 13th, I went to the first annual #LightUpMBC bridge lighting in Portsmouth, NH. It so happened to also be right after I was diagnosed, but most folks didn’t know it yet. I didn’t know anything about the organizer, Laura, or the woman that was the inspiration, Jess, but I knew there was an MBC connection. It was beautiful and touching, the whole thing. The memorial bridge looked so pretty lit up with those three MBC colors.

#LightUpMBC isn’t just a little NH thing any longer — it is international! In three years, my now friend, Laura Inahara, has grown this campaign in partnership with Metavivor to reach all 50 states and across the world. There will be at least 225 landmarks that will light up on October 13th. Some of them will even be lit up for the whole month of October. Last year the campaign ran a virtual live event for the first time and raised money for Metavivor.

If you don’t already know why I support Metavivor, please check out their website. Long story short, the only way we will find a cure for breast cancer is if we fund the research to learn more about MBC. We cannot blindly “raise awareness” by wearing pink stuff, buying socks with pink ribbons, or provide funding to organizations that give little time or resources to folks living with MBC. Metavivor raises millions of dollars each year to provide research grants that center explicitly around the MBC patient. Once we find a cure for stage IV breast cancer, we have a cure for all stages. Remember that MBC/Stage IV is the only type of breast cancer that people die from.

So what’s happening this year? Another virtual live event on October 13th. It’s bound to be spectacular! Special musical guests Kristin Chenoweth, Tom Morello, Rob Thomas, and JD Eicher will appear. There will also be live coverage at various landmarks, and those living with MBC will share their stories throughout the night.

Maybe attending the live virtual event isn’t for you, or you can’t make it to see any of the lit-up landmarks, NO PROBLEM! You can still participate in this campaign by donating funds here.

Runway for Recovery

Next up, I want to highlight a new-to-me organization called Runway for Recovery (R4R). One of my cancer mentors introduced this organization to me, and I am nothing but impressed with what they are doing. The founder, Olivia Boger, was personally touched by MBC when her mom was diagnosed and later passed away from the disease. Olivia wanted to keep her mom’s memory alive by giving back to this community in a significant way.

R4R provides grants for those families that have lost a caregiver to breast cancer. These grants provide support for families getting back on their feet after their loss — that looks like social work/therapy for those left grieving, help with bills, covering sports fees or camp fees, grocery shopping, housing or school costs, childcare, house cleaning, prepared meals, you name it. The grants are structured to provide support for a whole year while the family gets back on to their feet. Another remarkable feature of this program is that families do not have to apply for these grants right in the wake of their loss; there is no timeline on when a family can be granted the resources. If a family shows a need for support a year or five years later, they are still eligible.

I am honored to take part as a model this year in R4R’s largest annual fundraiser. This October 22nd, I’m going to dance down the runway in hopes of inspiring the audience to give back to children who have lost their moms to breast cancer while also sharing my story. This cause is near and dear to me. By giving to Runway for Recovery, you are directly helping me on my mission!

I am not naturally a fundraiser, and asking for money is hard for me, but I also know some incredibly generous people worldwide. You have come to me to ask me how you can help, and both of these causes are worthwhile for the reasons I shared above. One is helping the greater MBC community help find a cure. And until we find a cure, the other one is there to help families after they have lost their precious mother, sister, daughter, aunt, or loved one.

Join me in celebrating my own 3-year cancerversary/37th birthday fundraiser campaign by donating today. I love you all very much!