Kick off the night and “Go Pink!”

Get your cleats and soccer ball ready for the “Go Pink!” Night hosted by the Anaheim Bolts on Sunday, Feb. 19, as the team battles against Revolucion Tijuana. Players will sport special pink jerseys that attendees will be able to bid on at a silent auction—with proceeds going directly to Komen Orange County.  Various booths and tables will also provide more information about our Affiliate’s mission and programs.

The Anaheim Bolts recognizes the importance of community involvement within the city and its surrounding areas. Attendees are encouraged to wear pink attire to help bring awareness to the fight to end breast cancer forever. Donations will also be accepted on this night.

For tickets or more information, please visit www.boltsoccer.com. Details below:

Where: Anaheim Convention Center

800 West Katella Avenue

Anaheim, CA 92802

When:  Sunday, Feb. 19, 6:00 p.m.

After a 14-year absence, the Anaheim Bolts recently brought indoor soccer back to Orange County. We are excited that the game is back in our community!

 

 

Surf’s Up for the Cure!

Riviera Paddlesurf is partnering with Kona Brewing Co., Maui Jim Sunglasses and Ohso! Design to host Standup for the Cure on Saturday, May 5, at Newport Dunes in Newport Beach to raise awareness for breast cancer. Pink will take over the beach as paddlers of all ages and abilities standup paddleboard around Newport Harbor to raise funds for our affiliate.

After being introduced to standup paddle boarding, Komen OC volunteer Judy Vivian decided to team up with Dan Van Dyck, coordinator for numerous paddling races to organize an event benefiting the chapter while having some fun under the sun.

Standup for the Cure activities include:

• Breast cancer survivor paddleboard clinic with World Championship contender Zane Schweitzer
• A chance to learn Yoga on a standup paddleboard
• Silent auction for standup paddling equipment
• Live music and refreshments
• … and more!

Tickets are now available for purchase. To register to or to get more information, check out Standup for the Cure’s Active page. Thank you to all who attend for your support!

‘Tis the Season

Happy holidays from Komen Orange County! We wanted to thank you for supporting us this year and also urge you to find other ways to get give back to the community. This year, we participated in Share Our Selves’ Adopt-A-Family program. Everyone jumped on board to participate, including our volunteers.

We collectively gathered toys, clothing, toiletries and gift cards to help a family of six. A few of our regular volunteers made donations to provide food gift cards – in total we raised $200! We were also able to provide gently (or never) used clothes and warm blankets.

The holidays are a time of giving and we have always loved working with Share Our Selves to provide for others. How are you giving back this holiday season?

Fundraiser Spotlight: Paul Kim and the Costa Mesa Fire Department

Costa Mesa firefighter Paul Kim not only fights fire, but also helps in the fight to end breast cancer forever. His mother-in-law is a breast cancer survivor, so with the issue close to his heart Paul decided to get involved with the cause.

During October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Paul got the Costa Mesa Fire Department involved to wear and sell pink shirts, with proceeds benefitting Komen Orange County. He sold more than 300 shirts, raising $1,600 for our organization.

Paul and the Costa Mesa Fire Department were not alone – Redlands Fire Department, Bear Grass Fire Department (North Carolina), Elbert Fire Rescue (Colorado) and Care Ambulance (Anaheim) also sold shirts to help Komen Orange County.

Paul began selling the shirts in 2010, and hopes to get even more departments and organizations involved. The shirts are universal and Paul can easily plug in your company or organization’s name as a supporter of Komen OC. If you are interested in getting involved next year, let us know and we’ll put you in touch with Paul!

 

Grants Breakfast – Dec. 2, 2011

A big thank you to everyone who attended this year’s Community Grants Breakfast, held this morning at the Westin South Coast Plaza. We were able to award $1.5 million in grants to community organizations working to end breast cancer forever, using funds raised at events such as the Race for the Cure and Pink Tie Ball.

A highlight of the event was a special appearance by Susan G. Komen for the Cure president, Elizabeth Thompson, who shared the story of how her mentor inspired her to become involved in the cause. Ms. Thompson urged all breast cancer advocates and survivors to push for “less talk, more action” as we make strides in research, treatment and education.

Three murals from the “Art & Creativity for the Cure” workshop were unveiled at the breakfast, with inspirational introductions from a few of the artists, including a breast cancer survivor who asked for all women battling the disease to never give up hope.

Congratulations once again to all of the outstanding 2012 Komen Orange County grant recipient!

Congratulations to our 2012 Community Grantees

Today Komen OC announced it will award more than $1.5 million in grants to 15 local nonprofit organizations at the Grants Award Breakfast on Friday, Dec. 2. The grants make a substantial impact in the fight to end breast cancer forever and reinforce Komen Orange County’s support for its surrounding community partners.

The 2012 Komen Fund for Breast Health Care and community grants recipients and their breast health programs are:

• AltaMed Health Services Corporation / Breast Cancer Early Detection and Care Program
• Asian American Senior Citizens Service Center / Breast Cancer Awareness and Prevention Program (BCAPP) to the Uninsured Chinese American Women
• Breast Cancer Solutions / Enabling Access: Medical and Financial Aid Program; Latina Breast Health Support Program Specialist
• Hurrt Family Health Clinic / Access to Care and Treatment (ACT) Now Project
• Laguna Beach Community Clinic / LBCC’s Breast Care Commitment Program
• Latino Health Access / Salud de Seno (Breast Health Program)
• Nhan Hoa Comprehensive Health Clinic / Breast Care for Low-Income and Uninsured Young People
• Pacific Islander Health Partnership / Pacific Islander Navigator Breast Health Project
• Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties / Breast Health Program
• Serve the People Community Health Center / Women’s Wellness Clinic
• Share Our Selves (SOS) / Women’s Health Initiative
• The G.R.E.E.N. Foundation / ActNOW: Be Self Empowered  (BSE) Breast Health
• Vietnamese American Cancer Foundation / Breast Health Navigation and Education Program
• YWCA of North Orange County / Early Breast Cancer Screening and Education
• University of California, Irvine / Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center

Our 2011 Grant Recipients

Congrats to our 2011 Outstanding Volunteers!

Each and every one of our dedicated volunteers bring us one step closer to our goal of ending breast cancer forever, but this year we are honoring a group of individuals and companies that have gone above and beyond in their efforts to help find a cure.

• Shining Star, Brenda Hardwig 

• Outstanding Volunteer of the Year, Vernelle Blackwell

• Outstanding New Volunteers, Ellen Weinstein and Christine Brown

• Outstanding Youth Volunteer, Shefali Dutt

• Komen Warrior Award, Ginny Espenship

• Promise of One, Marie Cammack

• Promise of One, Rebecca Hultquist

• Partner for the Cure, Experian

• Outstanding Volunteer Group, Gap, Inc.

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: Michelle Buessing

Komen volunteer Michelle Buessing is definitely a “glass half full” type of woman. She has enthusiasm, optimism and determination despite her personal challenge with breast cancer. Michelle was diagnosed with stage III breast cancer at the age of 32 while she was breast feeding her daughter Maya. There was no family history of breast cancer.

 

Michelle went through four months of chemotherapy, had an 8-hour surgery, three more months of chemo and then 33 radiation treatments, but none of this knocked down the spirit of this Mission Viejo mother. Michelle is now a volunteer for the Komen for the Cure Speakers Bureau.

Here is what Michelle had to say at a recent speaking engagement:

“At the age of 32 I heard the words, ‘you have cancer.’ A day that will always stand out as the most life changing moment of my life, not because it brought me to my knees (which it did) but because it was the day I was given the gift of hope…hope that I would have a long future with my then 11-month- old and 2-year-old little girls because I got to hear the words treatable and curable. [These] two words to a recently diagnosed young mother and wife that make all the difference.

“I have told people since the day I was diagnosed that I owe my life to Susan G. Komen for the Cure because no other organization has done more or had a greater impact on the survival rate. I received cutting edge chemo, surgery and radiation thanks to the advancements in medicine that have been made over the past 20 years.

“I feel in the very fiber of my being that I will get to stand with my daughters at the glorious celebration the day we announce we have found a cure for breast cancer. Will you join me in finding a cure?”

Michelle is an inspiration. She and her family deserve our help. Let’s live by her motto: “Life is sweet… enjoy it!  Faith, love and hope REALLY do make all the difference.”

 

Circle of Promise

On Sunday, Komen OC teamed up with the Komen Los Angeles Affiliate and launched the Circle of Promise campaign in Long Beach to create the largest Second Line. A Second Line is a “lively dancing procession that celebrates life at the conclusion of a funeral” and is traditionally a celebratory component of Mardi Gras festivals. The Long Beach event allowed Komen OC, along with participants, to Bury the Silence and Raise Our Voice as we end breast cancer in African American community.

The Komen Los Angeles County and Orange County Affiliates, in partnership with the Komen African American Community Partnership, a collaboration of local agencies and key stakeholders, launched the local Circle of Promise campaign to reach at risk women in Greater Long Beach, CA. The goals are to engage the local community in the breast cancer movement, increase knowledge of breast health and local resources, reduce stigma related to breast cancer and motivate the use of annual mammography screening. These efforts align with Komen National’s Circle of Promise and Queens of Keeping it Real Campaign.

Based upon statistical analyses of the regional Cancer Registry, the Affiliates found that African-American women in its service area are more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer at a later stage and are at significantly increased risk of dying from the disease than Caucasian women. (Komen/ UCI Data Project; 2009) An individual who is diagnosed early has a 98% survival rate while those detected at an advanced stage have a 20% survival rate. For more information about this data, click here.

The Circle of Promise campaign is designed to engage African American women to help end breast cancer forever by increasing awareness, support, empowerment and action.  The program works by mobilizing the community to ensure that women everywhere have access to the care they need. For more information, please call our office at 714-957-9157.

Kruisin for Komen

Steve Churm, Publisher of OC Metro is “Kruisin for Komen” this month to celebrate breast cancer awareness. He has teamed up with Spa Gregories for a promotion benefiting Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Spa Gregories will be selling raffle tickets through Nov. 7, with all proceeds going donated to Komen OC.

If Spa Gregories reaches its goal of $15,000 in ticket sales, Steve has promised to go pink from head to toe when he broadcasts the OC Metro Minute on Nov. 8. So please tell everyone know to buy a ticket!

But that’s not all….

Steve will be riding all over Orange County over the next few weeks on a fabulous pink scooter that you could win in the hottest charity raffle this year. The first person to guess correctly where he is each time Spa Gregories makes a post will win one $20 entry ticket into the raffle, which is packed with amazing prizes such as:

A 2-night stay at Ritz Carlton

A 3-day, 2-night stay for two at Oaks at Ojai

A 3-day, 2 night stay for two at Red Mountain

Spa Gregories/Hilton Del Mark Escape to Del Mark Package

Cortright Cruises Duffy Christmas Boat Parade (Newport Beach)

Much, much more!

Raffle tickets are one for $20, two for $30 and seven for $100 and can be purchased at any Spa Gregories location or online at SpaGregories.com.