Finding a cure now...so our daughters won't have to.

Archive for the ‘Events’ Category

Where is your pink this October?

Posted By on October 3rd, 2011 at 11:22 pm | 0 comments.

Cooler temperatures, autumn leaves and Friday football games can only mean one thing at the PBCC…it’s Breast Cancer Awareness month once again! I continue to be amazed at people’s creativity and commitment when it comes to fundraising or special event ideas. I firmly believe that anything you enjoy can become a benefit for the PBCC. Do you golf…ride horses…snow tube…play softball…walk…have a motorcycle…make jewelry? Are you getting the idea?

Don’t let your talents go to waste. I challenge you to come up with something that’s never been done before. Every day our phone rings and someone is on the other end with an incredible idea for raising awareness about this disease.

Last week I attended a high school ice hockey game. It was Warwick vs. Hempfield…two powerhouse schools in Lancaster County. Marc Wizckowski, a senior for Warwick, turned the game into a fundraiser for the PBCC. He got special jerseys made, got raffle prizes donated, reserved the ice, and contacted local media. He did it all. And in the end, he raised $1,410 for the PBCC in one night. But more importantly, he got an arena full of fans to notice how powerful pink can be. The striking pink ribbons on the black jerseys, the pink grip tape on the hockey sticks, the girl working the door whose hair was pink for that night…it all led to an incredible sense of community and coming together for a cause.

That’s what Breast Cancer Awareness month is all about. I look forward to hearing the phone ring again today. Maybe the next amazing idea will be yours.

PBCC Turns Capitol Fountain PINK

Posted By on September 28th, 2011 at 3:17 pm | 0 comments.

2011 Pink Fountain Kick-OffHARRISBURG, Pa. – A bright pink fountain will flow throughout October at the Pennsylvania State Capitol to commemorate Breast Cancer Awareness month. The East Wing Fountain at the State Capitol in Harrisburg turned PINK on Wednesday, September 28th thanks to the First Lady Susan Corbett and PA Breast Cancer Coalition (PBCC).

 The PA Breast Cancer Coalition was proud to join First Lady Susan Corbett, Sheri Phillips, Secretary of the PA Department of General Services, and Debbie Freer, PBCC Board Member and breast cancer survivor, in celebrating the start of this important month. The pink fountain serves as a breathtaking visual that underlines and signifies the critical importance of education, early detection and treatment of breast cancer.

“Almost all of us know someone whose life has been touched in some way by this disease,” said First Lady Susan Corbett. “My mother fought and won two rounds with breast cancer.  She’s 92 now and still ready to fight. I’m proud to be her daughter.  With new treatments, research and a simple will to survive; we can all take on the challenge of reducing breast cancer deaths and someday put an end to this disease.”

“As a staple at the State Capitol, this fountain is a reminder to all who pass by about the magnitude of breast cancer education. It serves as a tribute to the brave women throughout Pennsylvania who have fought or are fighting this dreadful disease,” said Pat Halpin-Murphy, PBCC President and Founder. “As October approaches, we are reminded that there are more than 140,000 breast cancer survivors alive today across Pennsylvania, and we must continue to promote our mission of finding a cure for breast cancer now…so our daughters won’t have to.”

Breast cancer continues to be the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women in the United States, regardless of race or ethnicity. Nearly all breast cancers can be treated successfully if found early. When breast cancer is found in its earliest stage, the five-year survival rate is 98 percent.

The PA Breast Cancer Coalition represents, supports and serves breast cancer survivors and their families in Pennsylvania through educational programming, legislative advocacy and breast cancer research grants. The PBCC is a statewide non-profit organization dedicated to finding a cure now…so our daughters won’t have to. For more information, please call 800-377-8828 or visit www.PABreastCancer.org.

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Media Contact: Kevin Smith
717-721-2580 x109
Kevin@PABreastCancer.org

Survivor Spotlight – Julie Rockey

Posted By on August 15th, 2011 at 8:55 am | 4 comments.

Julie Rockey describes herself as a Type A personality, someone who is always on the go. Combine that with her love of organizing fun and interesting things to do and you get the Ta-Ta Trot, a fundraiser to benefit the PBCC! Julie was diagnosed with breast cancer in February 2010. She was 30 years old at the time and went for a routine ob/gyn exam. She was just checking to be sure everything was fine to get pregnant; a breast cancer diagnosis was the last thing she expected that day.

Her doctor did a breast exam, sent Julie for a mammogram, and within a day she learned that she had breast cancer. Julie was very open about what she was going through and was able to create a large support system with work, family and friends.

While she was going through chemo a friend who was planning a 5K walk/run approached her with the idea, offering Julie the option to select the nonprofit to benefit from it. He also introduced her to Cheryl Delsite, a breast cancer survivor and long-time PBCC volunteer. It was important to Julie that the money raised through the event would be used locally to help women in Pennsylvania. After talking with Cheryl, Julie decided that the PBCC would be the best organization to receive the funds.

Ta-Ta Trot was held in Sunbury, PA on July 9th and drew an astounding 655 walkers & runners who raised over $14,000! Everyone in the community is excited for next year and the goal is to increase to 1,000 participants! All the proceeds from the event benefitted the PBCC in memory of Marie Lamey, R.N., a breast cancer nurse at Geisinger Health System, where Julie is Senior Director of Operations. Many of the volunteers were Geisinger employees who wanted to honor Marie with their participation, and Dr. Victor Vogel, Director of the Geisinger Cancer Institute, spoke at the opening ceremony.

Julie completed her breast cancer treatment in June. She tells other women that she thinks of breast cancer as a life sentence, not a death sentence. She has learned to level out and take a deep breath once in a while. She decided from the first day that she would not let it bring her down. Now, because of having had breast cancer, she has hundreds of friends that she didn’t have before. And probably hundreds more next year after the Ta-Ta Trot!

Internship Opportunity for Statewide Non-profit

Posted By on August 9th, 2011 at 8:33 am | 0 comments.

The PA Breast Cancer Coalition is offering a wide range of experience in all aspects of non-profit operations, public relations and event management through assisting the Executive Director and other staff as needed.

Some duties may include, but not be limited to:

The PA Breast Cancer Coalition is located at 344 North Reading Road in Ephrata, Lancaster County. It was founded in 1993 and is the only statewide grassroots organization in Pennsylvania that speaks to and for breast cancer survivors.

Applicants should possess:

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Experience using Microsoft Office (Adobe Photoshop and InDesign experience preferred, but not required)
  • Ability to work independently and in a team setting
  • Excellent project management and organizational skills

Take a look around our website to learn more about our organization.

Interested applicants should contact Sarah Lightman, Community Outreach Director, at Sarah@PABreastCancer.org or 717-721-2580 x107

This position is unpaid, and can be full or part time from September to December, 2011 with the potential to be extended into the Spring semester.

Swing For Support Raises $3,200!

Posted By on July 20th, 2011 at 10:34 am | 0 comments.

Blue Ridge Country Club and Executive Woman’s Gold Associate hosted a successful golf event, organized by Glenda Dechowitz, on Tuesday, June 28 raising $3,200 for the PA Breast Cancer Coalition!  Swing for Support took place at the Blue Ridge Country Club where golfers of all expertise came out to play 9 holes of golf followed by a dinner and prizes.

All of the funds raised by the event were donated directly to the PA Breast Cancer Coalition, which means the money remains in PA to help the 103,000 women living with breast cancer in the state.

We want to say a special thanks to the supporters who helped make Swing for Support possible:

Goodie Bags – Makin’ It Safe, LLC

Raffle Prizes
Ann Ketchum – Golf Seat Cover
Bricco’s
Dr. & Mrs. Peter Alagona- Wine Basket
Dr. & Mrs. Stephen Kreiner – Professional Teeth Whitening Kit

Event Committee – Marilyn Book, Anne Ketchum, Lynne King

Professional Services – Peter Mickelwright & Conrad Lickel

Thank you to everyone who participated and raised not only funds, but awareness, for the PA Breast Cancer Coalition!

 

On the FrontLine: Summer 2011

Posted By on June 20th, 2011 at 1:46 pm | 0 comments.

Check out the Summer 2011 edition of our print newsletter, FrontLine!

Grassroots Partner: Dodge4Cure Dodgeball Tournament

Posted By on May 16th, 2011 at 12:57 pm | 0 comments.

For many of us, dodgeball is a distant memory confined to our gym class experiences. For Kim Wilke and her family who organized the Dodge4Cure Dodgeball Tournament, it is a great way to raise money for the PBCC to help in the fight against breast cancer – not to mention great exercise! The tournament raised $10,040 for the PBCC in its third year. Thanks to Kim, the entire Wilke family, and all those who participated and sponsored the event to make it such a smashing success!

This event is a great example of what can happen when one person takes the extra steps to turn something they love to do into something that does a lot of good for others. If you are inspired to follow Kim’s lead and turn your hobby into a fundraiser for the PBCC, contact Sarah at Sarah@PABreastCancer.org for information on how you can become a Grassroots Partner.

For more information on the Dodge4Cure event including future tournament information, click here.

Take a Virtual Trip to Martin’s Potato Chips

Posted By on May 16th, 2011 at 12:55 pm | 0 comments.

Martin’s Potato Chips invited the PBCC to its factory for a behind the scenes look at how their delicious snacks are made. Earlier this month, they brought their special pink ribbon bags back for a Mother’s Day promotion. Check out the video for a snack sneak peek and see how Martin’s continues to Chip in for a Cure.

Through the sale of the special pink ribbon bags of its Kettle Cook’d Potato Chips, Martin’s has donated over $84,000 to the PBCC. For its generosity and commitment to breast cancer awareness, the company was recognized as a 2010 Pink Ribbon Award recipient at the 2010 PA Breast Cancer Coalition Annual Conference. Thanks to everyone at Martin’s for their continued support and for the tour!

Hey Scranton Baseball Fans! We’ve Got a Deal for You!

Posted By on April 15th, 2011 at 9:07 am | 0 comments.

Are you a baseball fan in the Scranton area? Don’t miss out on this offer by the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. We have a limited number of complimentary tickets available to the June 4 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees game. If you are interested in attending, email PBCCtickets@gmail.com with your mailing address and how many tickets you’d like. Ticket requests limited to four per person.

The first 100 tickets include a buffet and seating in one of the club level party boxes. 75 tickets are also available in the lower level. Both ticket levels include a free Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees baseball hat! Due to limited quantities, tickets are available on a first come, first served basis.

Knock It Out of the Park in July, We’ll See You in October!

Posted By on April 15th, 2011 at 9:03 am | 0 comments.

It’s not just the weather heating up! Excitement surrounding the Take a Swing Against Breast Cancer Home Run Derby is at a fever pitch with the first crack of the bat just under 3 months away. While the dates are set, the lineup isn’t –so won’t you join us this July as a batter, sponsor, volunteer or spectator?

With 11 dates set at locations across the state, there’s bound to be an opportunity to get involved near you. As a special bonus, if you are one of the first eleven teams to register before the end of April, you get two free registrations for our Annual Conference in October! What a great way to see firsthand the strength and courage of breast cancer survivors and the commitment of advocates. Use the registrations for members of your team or for the breast cancer survivor or advocate in your life that inspired you to step up to the plate and take a swing!