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This October, Bright Pink will light up cities all around the country with VIPink cocktail parties lifted up and supported by Mood-Lites.* At our annual Breast Cancer Awareness Month Celebration receptions, hundreds of movers and shakers will gather to enjoy a night of brilliant cocktails and bold music while raising important funds to benefit Bright Pink’s education and support programs. “VIPink is the ultimate night out to unite the Bright Pink community in celebration of the young women we serve,” said Bright Pink Founder and Executive Director, Lindsay Avner.
So go on, spread the word to family, friends and colleagues, splurge on a new pink outfit and mark your calendar for the event of the season in a community near you.
Visit brightpink.org/events
for more details and to purchase tickets today.
*Mood-factory makes a charitable donation for each Sassy Mood-lite sold to Project Courage, a joint collaboration of Bright Pink and iFred. Mood-factory guarantees a minimum donation of $25,000 to Project Courage.
1. Make a cheat sheet
Gather your medical history, write it up on your favorite piece of stationary, and tuck it in your purse. List the medications and supplements you take, your immunization history and your allergies. By keeping this information up to date, you can save time at your next doctor appointment.
2. Know the facts
Whether you are seeing your doctor for a summer cold or a lump in your breast, you should be ready to describe when your symptoms started, where they are located, what they feel like, what makes them feel better or worse, and whether you have had them before. Create a special health journal that contains this information, and bring it with you to your doctor appointments.
3. Advocate for yourself
If you think something is wrong and your doctor disagrees, get a second opinion. You know your body best, and you are your own best advocate. Don’t be shy about getting multiple opinions, and “dating around” until you find the “perfect match” in your health care provider.
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Healthy Weight:
It’s Not Just About Looking
Good in a Swimsuit
By Natalie Weiss, Registered Dietitian
According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, “maintaining a healthy weight is one of the most important actions you can take to reduce your risk for cancer.” Bare with us for a quick science lesson on why this is the case. Fatty tissue contains estrogen. So, those individuals with excess fatty tissue, also tend to have excess estrogen, and increased estrogen levels are a risk factor for breast cancer. Contrary to popular belief, healthy body weight is determined by body composition, not your weight in pounds. Body composition can be checked with two measures: body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC).
A healthy BMI = 18.5-24.9 and a healthy
WC is less than 31.5.
Wondering whether your weight is considered healthy? BMI and WC measures can be taken quickly in the comfort of your own home. Use both methods to see how your measurements match up.
BMI is determined as follows: [Weight in Pounds / (height in inches x height in inches)] x 703
So let’s try an example.
Take a woman who is 145 lbs. and is 69”: (145 / 4761) x 703 = 21.4
To check your WC, all you need is a tape measure. Place it at the top of your hipbone, and wrap it all the way around your waist. A healthy measure should be
less than 31.5 inches.
Reaching a healthy body weight requires a commitment to eating healthy and exercising regularly. Take steps today to be proactive with your health tomorrow.
Natalie is a dietitian and yoga teacher living in the Chicagoland area. Natalie is passionate about empowering women to be proactive with their health.
To register, email your full name to
RSVP@BeBrightPink.org.
Volunteer Spotlight
Alyssa Thomas
, originally from Batavia, IL, graduated from Miami University in Ohio in 2008 and has since given back to Bright Pink both personally and professionally. She became involved in breast cancer awareness through her college sorority, and her interest in the cause continued to grow following graduation. Eager to help, she joined Bright Pink, but it was after Alyssa’s mom was diagnosed with breast cancer that Bright Pink’s support had the most impact. Although it was hard for her to surround herself with anything related to breast cancer at the time, Bright Pink was different. She felt these women truly understood what she was going through.
Inspired by her mother’s battle, this year, Alyssa, her sister and her mother opened a boutique in the Chicago Lincoln Park neighborhood called Comfort Me,
comfortmeboutique.com
The concept for the store is “comfort for the mind and body,” a one-stop shop for all things serene. Since it’s opening, Comfort Me has held two events to give back to the organization that Alyssa found so helpful during her mom’s battle.
Bright Pink wishes to extend our sincerest gratitude to Alyssa for all she has done to give back to her community and support other young women at high risk for breast and ovarian cancer.
BRIGHT HAPPENINGS
Be sure to regularly visit our
events page
for
the latest information on upcoming events!
