ABCD’s Impact in Action: Highlights From Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2024

November 22, 2024

Another Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM) has come and gone, leaving us with a reminder that this disease isn’t seasonal. Throughout the entire year, ABCD Mentors donate their time to help us provide free emotional support services to anyone impacted by a breast cancer diagnosis, anywhere, at any stage – and they also went above and beyond for us during BCAM 2024.

Here’s a recap of all the ways ABCD, our Mentors, and others showed up during BCAM 2024 to raise awareness of our services so we can reach and support more people.

Engaging on Social Media

ABCD debuted a Mentor Toolkit for BCAM 2024 that provided graphics and customizable prompts to create social posts, along with a “Proud Mentor” profile photo. While participating was optional, a number of Mentors used the Toolkit to tell their story and spread the word about the power of ABCD’s customized, one-to-one match between someone who needs support and a Mentor who has a similar lived experience. The enthusiastic response has us thinking about other ways we can engage Mentors when it comes to social media.

Helping with Fundraising and Outreach Events

During BCAM 2024, we had 24 partners – 6 of which were new – host 52 fundraising events with over $52,000 raised to benefit ABCD!

We’d like to thank the following Mentors, Board members, and Participant who stepped up and helped us at these specific events, whether it was attending, tabling and talking to people about ABCD’s services, sharing their breast cancer story, or walking the runway and being celebrated:

• Freida Rothman Women of Strength at Woman’s Club of Wisconsin – Lisa Gibb
• Wisconsin Athletic Club (WAC) Menomonee Falls Zumbathon – Megan Brown and Kelly Thomas
• WAC Brookfield tabling – Beth Gramz, Karen Hinkes, Kathy Korducki
• Darien Woman’s Club Bingo fundraiser in Darien, Illinois – Robin Schwarz
• Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin Waukesha Donor Center Takeover – Adrienne Ridgeway
• Neroli Pretty in Pink: Girls’ Night Out – Linda Settler and Lisa Kincaid
• Aveda Institute of Beauty and Wellness Catwalk for a Cause in Milwaukee – Megan Brown, Lynell Cunningham, Kathleen Duppler, Shironda Goree, Keeshia Jones, Lisa Kincaid, Cheryl Klein, Julie Matusiak, Monique Morris, Cheryl Roloff, Linda Settler, Julie Solger (view Catwalk photos taken by Camille Matusiak)
• ACS Champions of Hope Dinner honoring Mentor Jessica Storm – Kathy Korducki

ABCD also participated in 15 outreach events – 11 were first-time events. Highlights included healthcare professionals requesting ABCD materials for their programs, corporate businesses inviting ABCD to table at employee events, and Mentors volunteering and representing ABCD in their community. This list has the events organized by location and we again thank these Mentors and Board members who helped by attending, tabling, telling their story, or participating in a panel:

Milwaukee & Southeastern Wisconsin

• BMO Community Resource Fair & Blood Drive
• METAvivor’s #LightUpMBC Live – Featuring Kathleen Duppler from the Ghost Train in Shorewood, WI
• Oza Holmes Survivors Celebration Program
• Progressive Outreach – “Cheer for the Cure Program”
• SC Johnson Pink October Resource Fair
• Susan G. Komen More Than Pink Walk Make-Up Event
• VA Women’s Breast Cancer Awareness 2K Walk
• V100.7’s Sista Strut Milwaukee – Shironda Goree, Monique Morris, Bonnie Anderson, Sandra Underwood, PhD, Kim Somenske

Madison/Ashland

• Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness – “Wear Pink Day”
• Gilda’s Club & Wisconsin Well Woman Program – “Let’s Get Cancer Off Our Chest”
• Tamarack Health Breast Cancer Awareness Program

National

• Hampton University – “Think Pink – The Real Story of Breast Cancer Survivors Virtual Panel” – Hampton, VA – Melodie Henderson
• Mt. Sinai Hospital Survivors Event, Miami, FL
• Pink Witches Night Out – Denville, NJ – Kristeen Lehnert (watch a recap video)
• Texas Oncology Foundation “Survive & Thrive Event” – Dallas, TX

Finally, there were two Mentors (the first is a Board member as well) who coordinated and hosted their own outreach events that ABCD was proud to support and attend:

• Ascension Breast Cancer Awareness & Survivor Celebration – Bonnie Anderson
• Breast Assured Beads and Bosoms Bra Soiree – Deneitra Ham

Raising Visibility in the Media

With many news outlets running breast cancer-related stories during October, ABCD and several of our Mentors were featured:

• Carly Uhlrich talked about being a previvor and joining ABCD’s first Previvor Mentor Training in this TMJ4 News story.
• Monique Morris described being diagnosed as a young mom not long after she married the love in this Spectrum News story.
• Gina Rich shared how her mom hid her breast cancer diagnosis and how it motivated her to do things differently with her own kids when she was diagnosed in this article she wrote for Next Avenue. Gina also serves on the ABCD Board.
• Kathleen Duppler and Kelly Thomas sat down with Tiffany Ogle from the TMJ4News Morning Blend for a conversation about their stories and ABCD’s free emotional support services for this Fiddleheads Coffee on Us segment.
• Suzan Fete from Renaissance Theaterworks (RTW) talked about directing THE MOORS while undergoing breast cancer treatment and partnering with ABCD to bring awareness around the need to support anyone impacted by breast cancer in this Milwaukee Journal Sentinel feature.

Feeling Confident and Empowered

Our partner Wantable kicked off BCAM 2024 by hosting Mentors Megan Brown, Keeshia Jones, Stella Jones, and Monique Morris for a special styling session and photoshoot, making them feel like their most confident selves. Watch a short video from the shoot.

Thank You for Your Support

Thank you to everyone, especially our Mentors, who contributed in any way during BCAM 2024 – whether it was helping at an outreach event or fundraiser, making a donation, sharing your story, spreading awareness of ABCD’s services, or simply celebrating and taking care of yourself since October looks and feels different for everyone. Our Mentors are the heart of what we do and it’s because of them that ABCD transforms lives and inspires hope for so many.

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