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Alton's
Street TALK
Second Interview with Filthy T's owners - frank discussion on breast cancer awareness

 

breast cancer 3 day susan g komen breast cancer foundation walk

        


Awareness ...

tents set up for the three day breast cancer walk for the cure

Imagine a landscape filled with tents, spread out almost as far as the eye can see and among the temporary dwellings, thousands of men and women. Picture an army of volunteers, who create a support system which includes food lines, relocation services, a post office and facilities featuring sinks, showers and toilets. No, this is not a peace keeping mission in Darfur or some other third world country. Matter of fact, it is a repeated scene that strikes closer to the heartland than one might realize.

 

Since 1982, the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation has raised millions of dollars for breast cancer research. It all began as a promise made between two sisters, Susan Goodman Komen and Nancy Goodman Brinker. From August to November such camps sprout up across our nation; a virtual beacon signifying that the 3 Day Walk (for breast cancer research) has come to town yet again. This year twelve locations played host to the worthy cause; Atlanta, Arizona, Boston, Chicago, Michigan, the Twin Cities, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Kansas City, Philadelphia, San Diego, Seattle and Tampa Bay.


In September I had the opportunity to sit down with Filthy-T’s co-owner Brittany Russell. At the time, we briefly discussed the company’s involvement in an upcoming fashion show hosted to raise money for breast cancer research. I did not find this to be unusual, after all, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the company was founded by three young women (Brittany Russell 24, Jessi Moyle 25 and Jemma Lester 21). However, what I did not know was that breast cancer had touched the lives of two of the three young women; the upcoming fashion show was not even the tip of the iceberg regarding their efforts for this cause.

       

 

Brittany: The Breast Event Ever was a fashion show held in September at the Park Tavern in Atlanta. Filthy donated T-shirts and created two gift baskets, each valuing over $100, for the silent auction. Jessi raised over $2,700 through our website and a party we hosted in our home, which we named the “Think Pink” party (for the pink ribbon symbolizing breast cancer awareness). In addition, we participated in and promoted the “Pink Party” which featured the “A” Fashion Show. Proceeds from the “Think Pink” and “Pink Party” were donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.


Alton: Speaking of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, didn’t the three of you participate in the (Atlanta) 3 Day Walk this year?


Brittany: Jessi was the only one to walk this year. Jemma and I participated through extraneous fundraising events. I have had back surgery and felt that the 60 miles walk (over 3 days) would do more harm than good. Jemma was out of the country during the time.


Alton: How has breast cancer affected your lives?


Jessi: Marge Keyser was an incredibly special person to me, and a constant source of both inspiration and love. The laughter and love she brought to our family will forever be a testament to the remarkable nature of her soul. In 1973, some 8 years before my birth, Marge battled breast cancer and while it did not take her life, it did leave the 45-year-old wife and mother with the scars of a radical mastectomy. 25 years later, the cancer returned, and this time it was successful. It was the first time I’d lost someone so close. It wasn’t until this year that I realized just how much her disease impacted so many people around me as well.


Brittany: Breast cancer took my grandmother before I had the chance to ever meet her. She is a woman I only know through my father’s eyes and a woman whose life was cut unreasonably short. Her story and the story of every brave and inspiring woman across the country have been the motivating force behind our involvement with local events and charities dedicated to fighting breast cancer.


Jemma: I've lost no family members to this illness, but I mourn with friends for their mothers, grandmothers and loved ones. The staggering effect of breast cancer on society as a whole is my incentive toward supporting research efforts.


Alton: Did you draw anything from the 3 Day Walk?


Jessi: The seas of dedicated walkers decked out in pink, was an unforgettable sight and the love and camaraderie that developed amidst thousands of strangers is a feeling that I will carry with me through out the rest of my life. The walk brought me closer to my grandma and I could feel her support and encouragement with each step of the 60-mile walk.




 

       

 

Alton: Now that the 3 Day Walk is over, does Filthy have plans to continue its efforts towards this cause?


Brittany: We feel that by participating in events such as these, we are able to really target our generation and strive to educate and motivate the young women of today in securing their health for the future. Recently a good friend of mine started Look Pink. It is a fabulous website that raises money for mammograms for those who cannot afford one. We (Filthy-T) feel that something as simple as free advertisement (of this site) on our website could help to make a difference. And as we learned through the 3 Day Walk, one step goes a long way.

 

 

By New Year’s Day more than 200,000 new cases of breast cancer will have been diagnosed this year; some 40,000 women and men… yes even men… will have lost their lives to the disease. In the United States, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every three minutes. Every thirteen minutes a woman loses her life to it. The 2006 Atlanta 3 Day Walk raised $5.8 million alone. And though the final tab is not yet known, it does not take an accountant to figure out just how important each step taken is.


However, the research made possible by the funds raised is not the only benefit gained here. The shared experiences among walkers and volunteers alike come from what dreams are made of. Among the participants, gender, race, religion, size and shape have no face during the 3 Day Walks. Matter of fact, the only thing distinguishing anyone is perhaps the creative team names found among the masses; names such as 60 Miles or Bust, The Moody Boobs, Sisters with Blisters, Saving the Twins, 4 for the Cure and The Rack Pack. What these teams give is summed up in dollars, but what they get in return can’t even be measured in miles.

Remember One Person Can Make a Difference!
This year, The Susan G Koomen Breast Cancer Foundation celebrates 25 years of patient advocacy, building awareness and investing $630 million in breast cancer research, education, screening and treatment programs. For information about the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and next year’s 3 Day Walk go to http://www.komen.org .

Girlphoria wishes to thank the owners of Filthy-T for helping to make this article possible. Visit http://www.filthy-t.com .

 

  
           
                 
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