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Home > Blogs > Adventures in Motherhood > Archives > 2010 > April > 23 > Entry
Breast cancer benefit was a family affair
I simply must share: This is a tale about friendship, community and triumph over adversity. It’s a story about breast cancer and how to fight it.
It all started on Jan. 1, 2010, at a neighborhood Bloody Mary party. The adults were all huddled in the kitchen, sipping our cocktails and forlornly discussing our dear friend’s recent breast cancer diagnosis. The kids in our group were wandering in and out of the room, mostly hearing our topic and then scurrying toward happier conversations.
“What can we do?” was the question of the day.
So many times during life’s biggies like sickness, divorce, layoffs, we are at a loss on how to help. Sure, we’d be delivering home-cooked meals and offering a shoulder to cry on. We wanted to do something more. But what?
And how much should we share with the kids? Our vivacious, passionate friend Kirsten Halling answered that question in the most courageous way possible: “I’m not holding anything back from anybody. I need all the help I can get to beat this disease.”
The energy created by the caring cadre of people at that party sparked an idea that would become the Sis-Boom-Ball, a benefit for the nonprofit Breast Cancer Foundation of Dayton, just a few short months later.
“It has to be a dance party!” someone said. “Live music for sure.”
“And we could have an art auction,” someone else interjected, and we all started ticking off a list of our many talented friends who would surely support the cause.
Our dear Kirsten will beat this disease — no doubt about it — and we decided right there on the spot that the best way to honor her fight was to help those who don’t have what she is blessed with: access to quality health care and the support of her community.
In the next few weeks, co-chair Robyn Reed and I came up with a plan. Neither of us had ever organized anything on this scale before, but we had thrown a party or two (or dozens), so we set to work on the advance stuff.
First we settled on a venue, and the good people of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church agreed to lend us their spacious facilities.
Next, artist Peter Berwald, Kirsten’s devoted husband, designed a colorful, quirky event poster and printed up tickets. He even ordered event T-shirts in the hopes of bringing in more dough.
And we started making calls, (gently) hounding local businesses, artists, jewelry makers, photographers, musicians and all the good cooks we could think of for the makings of a great party.
Surprisingly, all but one — one! — business that we asked for help generously donated. My kids’ orthodontist, Dr. Stephen Burke, called to offer a Wii package for our giveaway. A manager at Milano’s whipped out $50 in gift certificates on the spot. Big Sky Bread Company offered to make up a fresh basket of baked goods the day of the party. My boss at the newspaper heard about the benefit through her etsy.com group and donated a few of her handmade crafts. Nearly 20 local businesses gave services or products.
Focusing on our goal kept us all busy and productive. Even on bad days during Kirsten’s surgery, initial chemotherapy, and on the day her hair started falling out, there was a rallying point.
We held our planning sessions at Central Perc teahouse, which also helped us sell tickets and promote our event. A few more local moms showed up at each meeting, and they all had wonderful ideas and lots of energy to share.
We also publicized Sis-Boom-Ball through Facebook, posted fliers around town and got the local press to give us some coverage, and excitement started to build. Could we really pull this off?
Strangers — a jewelry maker from Tipp City and a photographer from Centerville among them — reached out to us, asking to lend their talents to our cause. The owner of Rita’s Italian Ice offered to serve free treats to the whole crowd. I was blown away by the many kindnesses that presented themselves.
Kids of all ages got involved in the effort: A group of teenage girls made pink-bow earrings to sell at the party, teen boys set up tables and chairs. Our young friends helped to hawk tickets and prepare goody baskets for the raffle, and even my 4-year-old pasted signs for the event. We had a serious purpose, but we had fun along the way.
In the end, we welcomed more than 230 party guests. All the kids running around, music, food and laughter made it seem more like a wedding reception than something as sober as a breast cancer benefit.
We were able to contribute $4,061 to the Breast Cancer Foundation — a real feat for our first effort. And we proved that no matter how young or old you are, you can make a difference.
That warm glow of success and solidarity has stayed with us. Helping others just gives you a natural high. It makes you feel powerful, connected to the universe.
Here’s hoping our children will take that experience to new heights of volunteerism and keep making their community a better place. And here’s to a world without breast cancer!
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment | Categories: Community service, Photo of the Week
Comments
By Lynde Baker
April 23, 2010 8:23 PM | Link to this
I’m so proud of all of you for your efforts! If this is an annual thing, we’d like to attend next year. Keep up the good work!