Yoga on the Steps

The secret to getting a donation to your Yoga on the Steps Team

2011-10-06T09:43:00.002-04:00

This entry was written by Sandi Dennis of Washington, DC. Sandra is very excited that LBBC has selected Washington, DC to be the first city of host Yoga on the Steps for its National Expansion Initiative:

LBBC’s Yoga On The Steps® event has long been of interest to me: I grew up in Philadelphia, took art lessons at the Philadelphia Art Museum in my childhood, I’m an avid yogi, and I have worked with LBBC on policy issues in my practice as a healthcare lawyer. I had thought it would be a powerful event to participate in, but never got around to it. Well, this year, Yoga on the Steps is truly speaking to me, as it is coming to Washington, DC where I live, work, and play. And, oh yeah, last year I had breast cancer. So, actually, the event is screaming to me.

I first felt the marble-like mass above my right breast late one night in April 2010 while trying to print out my boarding pass for my early morning flight to Mexico for a week of yoga and hiking. I proceeded to print the boarding pass and googled an article that said “a moveable, marble-like mass” was likely benign.
Back at home the following week, I had a positive diagnosis for breast cancer, the day after my 55th birthday. It seemed particularly ironic that day as I was still glowing and feeling strong and zen-like, as healthy and in shape as I had ever felt. My yoga-calm quickly began to fade.
As many of you know, treatment can be devastating to one’s body and soul. For me, it was far more tolerable than I feared. I owe much of that to two things: 1) yoga and 2) supportive family, friends, and colleagues who rallied around me—and were comfortable doing so. I was very open about my diagnosis and because of that , I believe, everyone close to me was able to give me the genuine support I needed.

Yoga helped me physically and mentally. The teachings helped me accept myself as a cancer patient. Like it or not, that’s what life handed me last year and that’s what I had to deal with. On a shallower level, the studio was the one place outside of my house where I’d go wig-free—a necessity, as I practice at Down Dog Yoga in DC (a studio heated to 95ish degrees). Yes, I eagerly subject my body to that, but not my $1800 wig!

Other yogis got used to seeing me. There were many young women in the classes and hopefully they could see the ability of someone in active chemo treatment who regularly practices yoga. This was my personal way to continue living life during treatment.
At my office my cancer was headline news. One of my colleagues offered to shave his head as a way to show his support. Our two other lawyer colleagues joined in the head shaving at the office—what a show of support and solidarity for me.

How could I be distraught over my own circumstances when my colleagues were making such a sacrifice and public showing of support? Granted, at least one of them was already follicularly-challenged, but the other two had full heads of hair. I had never imagined that anyone would take an action so bold to support a colleague. I felt like the luckiest girl in the world!

Not everyone chooses to make their treatment so public and it is obviously a personal choice. There is no right or wrong decision. For me, it was really helpful. Not only did I have the support and cheerleading of many of my colleagues, I didn't have to wonder if people knew. They didn't have to wonder if I knew they knew--it was just a fact. It also made it easier to check in without needing to say much. Questions like: How are your treatments going? were one good way to check in or How are you? took on a whole new meaning in this light.

I’ve now been cancer-free for over a year (from diagnosis) and I’m in that grey area where I don’t have cancer, but I’m still a cancer patient; I’m not really sick, but still in recovery. I’m ready to move on but I still feel very connected to my breast cancer experience. What do I do with that status? Well, for now, I'm throwing a whole lot of energy into LBBC’s Yoga on the Steps.

I registered last week and was lucky to get a very generous donation (in addition to my own) within minutes of registering. I set my initial target at $1000 and surpassed it in less than two days! This motivated me to raise it to $2000, which I have also surpassed - I think I'm going for $2500 now. There's no magic in getting donations! I suggest sending an email to everyone you could think of. Tell them how much this event means to you, and how how this positive energy can help you and/or others who are healing. I do think that since I was so open about my breast cancer, people were more inspired to donate. Yoga on the Steps is helping me re-connect with what matters and the people who care. This event is the perfect way to stay in touch, stay healthy, and remember.

Make a donation to Yoga on the Steps today! Even if you don't live in the Washington, DC area, you can set up a virtual team and fundraise from wherever you are. Thank you in advance for your hardworking fundraising efforts. Proceeds from this event go directly toward education and support programs for women and families affected by breast cancer.

Yoga and breast cancer go hand-in-hand

2011-09-29T13:02:00.001-04:00

Darcie Vugrinovich, who practices yoga at Flow Yoga Center and Tranquil Space, is excited about meeting you at Freedom Plaza on October 16 for Yoga on the Steps®: Washington, DC. Here’s why!

I'm joining LBBC for Yoga on the Steps®: Washington, DC because yoga and breast cancer go hand-in-hand for me. That may sound like an odd statement, but I began practicing yoga right before I was diagnosed with late staged breast cancer. I was only 28 years old. I largely credit my ability to cope with the ups and downs that come with breast cancer (and life in general) to my yoga practice.

Like many people, I began practicing yoga as a form of exercise, but noticed somewhere along the way that yoga is so much more than practicing asanas (postures) to get physically fit - although that's one of its many benefits. Many breast cancer treatments can cause weight gain, but I have lost a few pounds and hopefully gained a little muscle, too. I love that yoga is accessible to people of all abilities, ages, and religious backgrounds. If you can breathe, then you can do yoga. Seriously.

I have brought my bald-headed, over-heated (gotta love those hot flashes), fatigued-self to the yoga mat. I think to myself, "What am I doing here?" But, even on days when it was painful for me to lie flat on my back in shavasana, I have always left my yoga mat feeling a little bit more collected, more energized, and more at peace than when I came. I have joyfully witnessed my body's ability to evolve, as I stood in headstand for the first time or simply rediscovered the challenges of a seemingly simplistic pose.

Yoga has allowed me to focus on the present moment, letting go of the ‘whys’: Why didn't I catch my breast cancer sooner? I'm no longer quite as anxious as I await the results of my latest medical test, which has been no small task for someone who literally stalks the radiology department after every scan.

I'm joining LBBC for Yoga on the Steps because I want everyone to have the opportunity to experience the joy of yoga, particularly women who have been personally affected by breast cancer. If you've never tried yoga before, you may be hesitant to begin. Acknowledge that thought and then join us anyway. I look forward to meeting you there.

Namaste.

To register for Yoga on the Steps: Washington, DC, please visit www.yogaonthesteps.org. You can participate as an individual or as part of a fundraising team. Make a donation to Living Beyond Breast Cancer’s team if you don’t want to physically participate! Funds raised at Yoga on the Steps go directly toward education and support programs for women and families affected by breast cancer.

The Rockstars of Yoga

2011-05-10T16:29:00.000-04:00

This entry was written by Randi Rentz. Randi is an individual fundraiser for Yoga on the Steps:

If you remember theY2K Revolution and fear of your computer exploding when we made it to the year, 2000, you probably remember the sudden increase in the new yoga craze, too. The yoga revolution isn’t like the '50s, where you might remember those machines where you flung a big strap around your butt, flipped a switch and jiggled away all your self-esteem. Guess what? The new century brought us a hip way to get fit that is thousands of years old. In fact, yoga is such the rage, it’s been sexified with tres chic language. Who knew that I would need a yoga dictionary to decipher words such as Bikram, Chaka and Vinyasa. I thought I was reading first names of new” rock stars,” like Cher and Madonna, not practices for purifying the soul.

Aiming to tone, firm and beautify your body, mind and soul, the so-called power of yoga workouts are knocking kickboxing out of the ring. Tired, old aerobic routines just don't measure up. (Seriously, have you ever seen Gisele Bundchen at LA Fitness?)

Celebs like Sheryl Crow, Jennifer Anniston and Jenny McCarthy have all given the yoga workout their star-studded seal of approval.

But do they work for regular people; especially people who have had breast cancer? You know, the moderately chunky (from steroids, chemo or Tamoxifen), 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60—somethings? Unable to find my groove at the gym, I was in search of something new, something to lift my spirits. I thought I would rather be waterboarded than do another spin class or the elliptical machine for 45 minutes, yet again.

I decided to live like a celebrity and try out yoga for a month to see if it did anything for me.

Luckily, I live in Philadelphia, so I didn't have to look far to find a studio that suited my needs. The one I chose was just a hop-skip from my house, so I couldn't wait to get my “stretch on” and spiritually moving. I met with “Raj,” the owner, and he walked me through the process, explaining the benefits of this type of ancient workout regime.

According to Raj, yoga goes well beyond toning and firming muscle. It also has been shown to:
• improve bone density

• accelerate weight loss

• reduce cellulite

• improve blood circulation

• decrease physical and emotional stress

• improve balance, equilibrium and dexterity

He had me at "reduces cellulite." I went to a sporting goods store to purchase my first yoga mat and water bottle. While I was at it, I purchased cute yoga outfits, too. Always a thrilling task.

Then I got a free personal training session which is a perk for any new yoga-want-to be at this studio. My trainer told me he would create a routine for me that would intrinsically help me relieve stress and worry, while at the same time learning to live in the moment, which is a major benefit for cancer patients -- and I was off. Yoga literally rocked my world. My whole body quivered and shook, and I swear I grew an inch. My lymphatic circulation was improving by the minute, as well as the continuous pain in my surgical area.

But I was determined to do more, where I squatted, lunged, plié'd, push-upped and planked my way into a major sweat.

This is why Jennifer Aniston's arms are so amazing. It was one tough workout!

After 30 days, I'm stronger, relaxed and mentally acute. But while I'm not Jennifer Anniston by a long stretch, I worked out like her for a month and feel much closer to her than I ever did before.

My conclusion about yoga is this: It's fun, it's easy, and it's up to you to decide how hard you want to make it. The best part is that I wasn't stuck doing it at some clanky meat-market gym. Serenity awaited me every time I walked through the studio.

So, if you want to exercise like Jennifer (and me), give yoga a try. And if you happen to live in Philadelphia, you could always do it at my studio. Just ask for Raj. Tell him Randi sent you.

It's not too late to make a donation for Yoga on the Steps! Our fundraising goal is $250,000. Will you help us reach our goal? We're 75 percent to our goal!

I support Yoga on the Steps because of what LBBC stands for

2011-05-03T09:30:00.000-04:00

This entry was written by Kelly Stipa. This will be Kelly's first year participating in Yoga on the Steps:

I first learned about Living Beyond Breast Cancer from one of my best friends, Gina. For the past 4 years, I’ve participated in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure and did a lot of fundraising, but after taking the time to research and learn about LBBC, I decided to become a part of Gina’s team, the 2nd Base Brigade, and fundraise for Yoga on the Steps.

Gina and I have a very close friendship, and one thing we have in common is that someone in our lives has lived with breast cancer. Gina’s mom, Susan, is currently living with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer and both my grandmothers, Betty and Ann, fought this disease for years. My grandmother on my Dad’s side was diagnosed in 1979 and immediately had a mastectomy on her right breast. She lived a healthy life for another 25 years. My Grandmother on my Mom’s side had a different type breast cancer, and she struggled for quite a long time, which also ended with a mastectomy but 10 years later she is going strong!

When you have a family member so close to you living with breast cancer, you want to do anything you can to help them. I really love what LBBC stands for, and how 84 cents of every dollar donated goes towards education. That is almost 85%! Over the years, we’ve all donated toward research for a cure, which is something we all desperately want to find, but I’ve learned that helping to educate and improve a person’s quality of life is just as important.

In all honesty, I’ve never been a fan of yoga….at all!! In fact, Gina and I love to walk and jog every morning in our neighborhood. We do 3 miles a day faithfully. That’s one of the ways we keep ourselves healthy. But after seeing pictures from last year’s event, and hearing Gina and Susan talk about how fun and important this day is, I wanted to be a part of it with them. This will be my first time participating in an LBBC fundraising event, and I’m excited to experience it with people I love and support.

I am one of only two new members of the 2nd Base Brigade, and I’m so happy I decided to join them for Yoga on the Steps. After making phone calls, sending out emails and text messages, I’m proud to say I’ve helped our team to meet our goal of $1500, and my donations keep coming in! I’m not going to stop until I hit my personal goal of $500. Heck…let’s make it $600!

Gina (or Twin - which is our nickname for each other), and I are known for being silly and having a good time, but there are moments when we bond over the serious things that affect our lives. Gina has talked at length about how LBBC has helped her mom over the past couple years, and she is forever grateful to them. She believes this organization is what has helped Susan to stay optimistic, and continue to live a positive and exciting life. That is what we both want for ourselves if either one of us ever has to struggle with this disease personally.

Kelly (right) with her best friend, Gina (left).

In support of my grandmothers, Susan, and for all the other mothers, sisters, daughters, aunts and girlfriends that are affected by this terrible disease, I hope my fundraising efforts will help to educate these very special people living beyond breast cancer.

Do you have a special reason to fundraise? Register for Yoga on the Steps today! There is a minimum donation of $50 required for each participant to participate in the class and the event.

Share your Hero's Journey at Yoga on the Steps

2011-04-21T09:52:00.000-04:00

This entry was written by Jennifer Schelter, prominent yoga instructor who will lead over 1,000 breast cancer supporters during the yoga class for Yoga on the Steps:

Yoga on the Steps for Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC) is a magical morning to share and define your "Hero’s Journey."

How do you define being the hero of your own life? Do you define it physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually? What do you do on a daily basis to acknowledge your own and others heroism?

As we count down to the days before Yoga on the Steps, I invite you to awaken to your Hero’s Journey – being unstoppable in the face of life’s obstacles. We are all survivors. We all have a story to tell.

Join me on May 15th for Yoga on the Steps for LBBC, as you practice yoga and meditation and feel your own authentic definition of your hero journey.

How do every day heroes think and act? Let’s grow this conversation. Please invite your friends and family to Yoga on the Steps. More than ever we need to see ourselves and others as heroes. Do heroes write love letters? To whom would you write?

Photo Credits: Paul Rider

Can’t wait to see you at Yoga on the Steps!

For more information on Yoga on the Steps, please visit yogaonthesteps.org.

Stereotypes and yoga

2011-04-19T15:06:00.000-04:00

This entry was written by Christina Payne, LBBC's Marketing and Communications Intern:

Stereotypes are all around us. Yoga is an exercise that promotes physical and mental wellness for individuals of all races, religions and backgrounds; however, for the African-American community the practice of yoga is not always first choice of exercise even though yoga has healing benefits that have been proven to relieve stress. According to an article on clutch.com, Namaste: Yoga in the Black Community, African-Americans seem to associate the meaning and purpose behind yoga with negative views and opinions. This mindset leads to a culture that doesn’t take advantage of exploring and enjoying the benefits associated with this form of exercise.

High-profile celebrity Russell Simmons practices this form of exercise and has said “Yoga has really helped me feel more comfortable with the idea of being present, the simpliest idea of spirituality, the power of now.” And according to Beyonce, “Every time I take a yoga class, I want to cry. I don’t know if it’s because I’m relaxing, or if it’s that by the end of the class, your body can do things it couldn’t do in the beginning, so you feel accomplished and emotional. It’s therapeutic.”

Yoga on the Steps - 2009

In America, yoga is viewed as a predominately White form of fitness. It is believed that yoga is very expensive and individuals with high incomes can only afford the classes. Reports have shown that there is in fact discrimination among African-American yoga teachers and black attendees. There is a stigma in the African-American community in regards to understanding in fact what yoga really is. In 2009, Wake Forest University released study data supporting the positive impact of yoga on the emotional health of women affected by breast cancer. Yoga can be performed by people of any age or physical condition—no prior experience is necessary.

The lack of knowledge leads to confusion and pushes people away from an exercise that is very beneficial to one’s health. Claims such as “yoga is a religion” or yoga teachers of color being mistaken for assistants or receptionists are a few discrepancies that belittle what yoga is and who is associated with it.

Although the stereotypes and stigmas exist, there has been a movement of growth toward a positive perspective that defines the African-American role in yoga. For example, there are many health issues such as, diabetes, hypertension and heart disease that affect the African-American community and the use of yoga can be of great use when it comes to maintaining good health, relieving stress, and balancing physical and mental strength.

Have you ever tried yoga? Can you admit that you’ve associated the healing exercise with some of the stereotypes listed above? Living Beyond Breast Cancer challenges you to try yoga with over 1,000 breast cancer supporters on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art on Sunday, May 15. For more information, visit yogaonthesteps.org. The signature fundraising event encourages teams and individuals to raise money in support of LBBC’s educational programs for women and families affected by breast cancer. Register today!

Team Forever 25 Gives Hope

2011-04-13T10:51:00.001-04:00

This entry was written by Colleen Kryka, one of the Team Captains of Forever 25: The White House Black Market Team:

After my breast cancer diagnosis, everything became possible. I got the mindset, “why not, what do I have to lose?” The timing was perfect because within days I received an email alert from LBBC that White House Black Market was holding a contest for 25 breast cancer survivors. What the heck, why not? So I wrote my essay, had my husband take a photo and “click,” off it went. Little did I know - that the click of the send button would really set my new path.

I was selected and joined 24 amazing women in New York City for a real-life glamorous photo shoot. We had the full “pit crew” working on us. We were treated like super models, not like mothers, daughters or sisters playing dress-up (even though we were!). We were all little girls again, with giant smiles. We were sexy, beautiful women…not sick, scared, and diagnosed patients. Our inner beauty came through the battered outer shells. Two days of this metamorphosis forever bonded 25 women who quite frankly never would have chosen this common bond, but amazingly found strength, comfort and POWER.

Collective energy can be quite healing. So for the next 4 months we emailed, facebooked, and chatted about our next gathering. So in October White House Black Market and LBBC gathered the 25 of us once again at the Butterfly Ball. We were long-lost sisters gabbing and admiring our beautiful selves all dressed up once again by WHBM. We all danced and laughed. What an evening it was. I never realized or even thought for a moment this would be the last time all of us would be able to gather and celebrate life!

Forever 25

Vivian Rivera was also selected to participate in the photo shoot. She sang a beautiful song during her WHBM interview and LBBC asked her to perform it at the Butterfly Ball. We gave her a standing ovation. Her self-written song, “Chosen” is the voice to all of us who are choosing to win during hard times. Within weeks we heard about Vivian’s illness. Lori Baur, who was also selected to participate in the photo shoot, rallied up all 24 of us to send support, and we did. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough. By January, Vivian, our gorgeous song bird, flew to heaven. She had left a mark, touched our hearts, but also challenged my thinking once again - THIS disease is real.

Vivian Rivera leaves the crowd with a smile after performing "Chosen" at LBBC's Butterfly Ball 2010

Soon we stopped hearing as much from Lori. Although Vivian passed away from a rare brain cancer, her news was so real for Lori. Lori had been living with metastatic breast cancer for years. She and her husband went on their dream vacation to Hawaii. Very soon after their vacation, once again we got the devastating news that Lori’s breast cancer journey had come to an end.

Lori Baur and her husband at LBBC's Butterfly Ball 2010

This disease sucks in so many ways, yet I have met and became friends with some of the most incredible women. How can something so bad bring such good? That question can’t be answered - it can only be lived. That’s when Denise, another WHBM babe, reached out to me about Yoga on the Steps. There would be no better way to honor Vivian and Lori than to move to action! So we formed Forever 25, The White House Black Market Team for this May’s Philadelphia Yoga on the Steps.

Boy! WHBM stepped up to the plate once again! They are matching our donations up to 10k, making us personalized t-shirts that we can sport day-of, and providing a never-ending supply of support! We can’t bring Lori and Vivian back, but we CAN keep their spirit and the energy of that magical WHBM campaign alive. We CAN give HOPE at the end of each day - HOPE that we will enjoy our son’s next baseball game, HOPE that we will feel beautiful and sexy, HOPE that we will do more than just…survive. HOPE that we will thrive, and just like Lori and Vivian, HOPE that we will touch others and make this journey a little easier for someone else.

See you at Yoga on the Steps.

Make a donation to the Forever 25: The White House Black Market Team! You can start fundraising today! Join a team, form a team or fundraise as an individual! If you have any questions, visit yogaonthesteps.org.

Yoga is more than a pose

2011-03-10T10:39:00.003-05:00

This entry was written by Erica Bleznak of JAI! Yoga in Haverford, Pa. She lead LBBC’s first Barefoot Ball in December. Erica notes that Yoga is intertwined with many elements that encourage you to give more to your community. Start giving back to your community by participating in Yoga on the Steps!

A guiding principle of the yoga practice lays in the practice of Seva; the word Seva in Sanskrit means, “to be of service”. When people think of Yoga, they think of people stretching their bodies, or even of people standing on their heads; the posture practice of yoga, called Asana, is a very small part of the practice of Yoga. Much of the practice lays in other elements and one of those is in providing selfless service to to others. It was an honor to provide Seva in the form of leading a Barefoot Ball practice for LBBC at the Ardmore Toyota dealership last December. At our yoga studio JAI! in Haverford, we have taken the journey with many of our students who been diagnosed with breast cancer; we have traveled with them on their yoga mats from diagnosis, treatment, surgeries and recovery.

Our yoga community has been truly inspired by their tremendous courage, fortitude and strength. As Yogis we are expected that our practice moves beyond our yoga mats; we cultivate qualities of compassion so that we can move beyond our “selves” to share these gifts with others. Along with Seva, there is a behavioral code in Yoga known as the Niyamas. One of the Niyamas is Dana; Dana means to give without expecting anything in return. It is when we give without the need to be recognized or praised. You give without intentions to receive anything. In reality though, you receive the most! Know that with selfless service (Seva) and Dana (giving without the need for recognition) that you and your Yoga have broken the boundaries of just the physical practice and that now you are living your Yoga!

By participating in Yoga on the Steps, you too can perform these Yoga principles. Learn about Yoga on the Steps and register at yogaonthesteps.org.

Yoga on the Steps Website - A new way to stay connected

2011-03-07T14:52:00.000-05:00

LBBC has officially launched our new website for our signature fundraising event, Yoga on the Steps (YOTS)! This site is the newest addition to the tools we have created to make your experience with our annual fundraiser easy, exciting and efficient.

Take some time to explore the site and take advantage of all that it has to offer.

Here are some of its key features!

Find A City

This year, YOTS will take place in two cities – in Philadelphia on May 15 and in our nation’s capital, Washington, DC on October 16. Under the Find A City tab, you’ll get up-to-the-minute information on each city’s event, including times, locations, directions and other tips to make your YOTS experience as enjoyable as possible.

Fundraising

This section has everything you need to maximize your fundraising efforts for YOTS and includes a Participant Guide, fundraising Tips and Tools, sample donation ‘ask’ and ‘thank you’ letters that you can edit and personalize and the incentive items LBBC has to reward our Yoga on the Steps Fundraising All-Stars. Every participant who raises a minimum of $75 will receive a commemorative YOTS t-shirt, but I’m confident that every participant will strive for a higher fundraising goal! Shoot for $250! We’ve got what you need to make that goal a reality!

Marketplace

A great way to support LBBC’s corporate partners is to visit the YOTS Marketplace. There, you’ll find some amazing items - from yoga mats to jewelry - and with every purchase a portion of the proceeds will be contributed back to LBBC, allowing us to empower all women affected by breast cancer.

Sponsors

Events with the size and scope of YOTS could not happen without the support of national, regional and local sponsors who help us underwrite the costs associated with YOTS and who provide refreshment and entertainment for our event participants and their family and friends. Please take a moment to review all of our incredible event partners and support them in your local communities.

Of course, if you haven’t already, register for Yoga on the Steps: Philadelphia. Create a team or join us as an event participant. Every dollar you raise will continue the mission of LBBC. Please note that registration for our Washington, DC event will be open on May 1, 2011.

Finally, please make sure to “like” “Yoga on the Steps” on Facebook to swap fundraising ideas, find out about other yoga events and to chat with YOTS / LBBC supporters. If you have any questions, please contact Kevin Gianotto or Jeanne Egan at (610) 645-4567 or at kevin@lbbc.org or jeanne@lbbc.org, respectively.

We look forward to seeing you at Yoga on the Steps: Philadelphia or Yoga on the Steps: Washington, DC!

Fundraising starts off as an idea, but you can make it a reality

2011-02-22T12:29:00.000-05:00

This entry was written by Allison Wolf, member of Team Twisters. Team Twisters raised approximately $6,500 for LBBC's programs and services when they hosted a Barefoot Ball on February 13th:

The scene at the Mercedes Benz showroom in Fort Washington was not what one would typically expect to find. Upon entering a car dealership, there were no cars. Instead, yoga mats served as the mode of transportation for the day’s journey. You wouldn't find employees in suits. Instead, instructors in could be pointed out in their tutus and costume jewelry. Customers were long gone. Instead, you'd find none other than barefoot men, women and children mingling and all coming together to raise funds and awareness for Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC) and their annual fundraising event, Yoga On the Steps (YOTS).

This Inaugural Barefoot Ball was the kickoff event for Team Twisters in their effort to raise $20,000, their fundraising goal for LBBC's annual Spring yoga event, Yoga on the Steps, taking place on May 15th this year. The event was a wonderful success, raising $6500! $2500 was donated by Mike Sloane, owner of Mercedes Benz Fort Washington and the remainder was donated by the 109 attendees!

It was truly an amazing sight to behold. There were dozens of caring individuals moving together in unison in a sea of multi-colored mats. Twisters’ staff of instructors was on hand for the event. Four instructors lead the hour-long class while the rest worked the room to offer adjustment and support when needed. The class culminated in a spectacular operatic performance by Natalie Levin, also an instructor at Twisters, dressed to the nines in a ball gown and full stage makeup (barefoot, of course). She performed a beautiful piece during shavasna, followed by an incredibly moving aria and then spiced things up at the end with a piece from Carmen.

The Barefoot Ball was pioneered and put together by Upper Dublin resident and yoga enthusiast Jill Miller. Jill attended a similar event, on a smaller scale, in Ardmore last year. Attending the event stirred in Jill a desire to do her part and get involved. She began by reaching out to the yoga instructors at Twisters who were more than happy to get involved. Jill was also able to seek out several sponsors: Mike Sloan of Mercedes Benz provided the venue, Dreshertown Shop and Bag provided light snacks and refreshments, Kay’s Chocolates donated sweet treats as well as Ingrid Carfagno who donated hand knit scarves to offer in exchange for cash donations, and last but not least a henna tattoo artist! Jill did have some help, the best kind, from her daughter and friends. Emily Miller, 15, organized a teen ambassador team comprised of her friends from Springside and Upper Dublin schools; they were instrumental in the day’s events, helping with registration, managing concessions and cash donations, ushering participants and setting up mats.

As mentioned earlier, this was a kickoff event; Team Twisters is still working hard to reach their goal of raising $20,000 by May 15th. May 15th marks the date of one of the world’s largest outdoor yoga classes, YOTS, where hundreds of people will gather together on the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum to raise funds for LBBC’s education and support programs. Team Twisters has several fun and exciting team building events lined up as they work their way toward YOTS. Here’s a little sneak peek into the upcoming events:

• A bus painting party! The plan is to paint the entire bus pink! What better way to make an entrance than to arrive at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in a pink bus?!

• Team Twisters Evening in Ambler, a benefit event at an Ambler restaurant featuring raffles and prizes.

• An outdoor yoga class.

• A wine tasting.

Team Twisters encourages you to get involved, too! There are several different ways you can help. Join a team! Encourage your teammate to plan fundraising events like the barefoot ball! You can even participate in YOTS by simply donating online to a team or as an individual.

If you are already part of a team working towards YOTS please know that the Barefoot Ball started out as an idea, which lead to a conversation, which turned into a tremendous day as well as a great fundraising success! The sky is limit; if you can think it, you can do it! See you at YOTS!

For more information and to learn about creative ways that your team can FUNdraise for Yoga on the Steps, please contact Jeanne Egan, LBBC's Special Events Manager at jeanne@lbbc.org.

A unique touch to Yoga on the Steps each year

2011-02-02T13:31:00.000-05:00

This entry was written by Beatrice Marx, assistant yoga instructor for Yoga on the Steps:

On May 15, 2011, I will participate in Yoga on the Steps for the fourth year in a row. This May will be my fourth year as a yoga teacher, assisting Jennifer Schelter as she leads Yoga on the Steps. Every year I have been both humbled and truly amazed by the power that this outdoor yoga class gives me. Each year has had its own unique qualities as many people from all over join together as one for a common cause.

For just a few hours, everyone focuses on health and well-being for all. The event brings forth awareness because it doesn’t only cater to those affected by breast cancer, but it also creates a place for their loved ones to show support, honor and meaning. Husbands, daughters, sons and friends are all there looking on and joining the 1,200 or so other people on the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum for this yoga class. I rejoice as my family and my friends bear witness to all of us taking this class together and inhaling the beautiful breath of life.

As a woman, a wife, and a mother living with breast cancer, this once-a-year event marks a measurement in my quest for peace and helps me to balance my so called “new normal” as I live day to day. I gather much needed peace as my body absorbs the sweet power of this yoga class. No one leaves untouched by this act of pure love. We all join together to stand hand-in-hand in support of one another. A sense of strength is evident as we move forward in our day to day lives.

Please join us in support in each other as we journey through life and grow as people living in peace. Om Shanti.

How will you support Yoga on the Steps? Think about creative ways to FUNdraise and register you and your team for this meaningful yoga class that supports and honors the nearly 200,000 women who will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year.

New Year - New Name - Same Time - Same Place

2011-01-13T14:00:00.000-05:00

This entry was written by Lauren Ainsworth, Special Events Manger for Living Beyond Breast Cancer. Lauren is excited to introduce the launch of and discuss the changes to our annual yoga event scheduled for May 15, 2011.

“Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.” – Ben Franklin

I think our friend Ben Franklin could not have said it better. With regard to Living Beyond Breast Cancer’s annual yoga fundraising event on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art – we are constantly striving to improve, achieve and succeed. I feel so lucky to be leading the team that brings this amazing event to Philadelphia each spring and I always look forward to January when we launch our yoga fundraising campaign. So as we welcome the new year, I have a couple of changes to tell you about.

First of all, I am excited to introduce our new name: Yoga on the Steps for Living Beyond Breast Cancer. Aside from the name change, everything else about the event will remain the same. This will still be the same event with the same purpose, mission and format. Hopefully you will hardly notice the difference as we will have a similar logo with similar printed materials and we are looking forward to a seamless rebrand. And I am guessing that many of you who are familiar with the event refer to it as “that yoga event on the steps” anyway.

It is important to mention that Jennifer Schelter will continue to lead the yoga class on the art museum steps this coming May. In addition to being the owner of Yoga Schelter in East Falls, Jennifer is also the founder of Yoga Unites®, a separate non-profit organization with a separate mission from LBBC’s. Jennifer remains an integral part of the history of this event and we are already counting down the days to practice yoga with her for the 9^th year in a row on May 15^th, 2011. Please save the date and register today: yogaonthesteps.org

Our springtime yoga event is not only a fundraiser; it is an awareness event as well. We want the world to know about what we do to help empower women affected by breast cancer. As we grow to other cities nationwide, it is important for this event to be a vehicle for LBBC to spread the word about our programs and services and not be confused with a different organization.

This leads me to my second exciting announcement! We are replicating this amazing event in Washington D.C. on October 16^th, 2011. On June 1st of this year, we will kick off our first ever Yoga on the Steps campaign in our nation’s capital and I think you’ll be seeing a lot more of Yoga on the Steps in other parts of the country over the next several years.

I hope you will help us to spread the word about this incredible event in both Philadelphia and Washington D.C. and welcome Yoga on the Steps for LBBC with open arms. If you have any questions, or need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me at Yoga@lbbc.org.

Wishing you all a happy, healthy new year.

Namaste

A winter yoga class to benefit LBBC: 1st Annual Barefoot Ball

2010-11-18T10:08:00.000-05:00

Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC) is gearing up to host our 9th annual yoga event! We’re looking forward to seeing all of you there. You’re in for a surprise as LBBC is working tirelessly to restructure the familiar event and bring you yoga like you’ve never experienced it before! You’ve contributed to our success at last year’s Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer event and you’ve helped us raise over $200,000 for LBBC’s educational programs. LBBC feels empowered to know that dedicated people like you will help us deliver at next year’s re-modeled yoga event and help us further our mission.

To introduce LBBC’s yoga event like you’ve never seen it before, LBBC is hosting our first annual Barefoot Ball! Leave the gowns at home and grab your yoga mat for this interactive yoga class lead by JAI! Yoga’s very own instructor, Erica Taxin Blexnak. On Sunday, December 12, 2010 Ardmore Toyota will transform the car dealership into a yoga studio, lending space to LBBC from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. for a yoga class that anyone of any skill level can participate in. Restore your balance, relax your body and rejuvenate your spirit as you are lead in song by singer, songwriter and kirtan artist, Yvette Pecoraro! Her live performance is the perfect accent to make this event as warm, compassionate and inspiring as it’s intended to be.

Attendees of the Barefoot Ball are encouraged to make a suggested donation of $25. All proceeds from the Barefoot Ball will go directly toward LBBC’s education and support programs for women and families affected by breast cancer.

Here’s a snapshot of how your contribution helps LBBC reach women affected by breast cancer. Last Saturday, LBBC hosted our annual fall conference, News You Can Use: Breast Cancer Updates for Living Well. Over 300 people attended the conference including women affected by breast cancer, caregivers, exhibitors, healthcare providers and guest speakers. Only 19% of this conference is paid for by registration fees leaving the rest of funding to come directly from fundraising events like the yoga event and other sponsor initiatives.

For more information on the Barefoot Ball or to purchase a yoga mat to aid your practice, refer to the links provided. Feel free to share this post! See you there!

YU4LBBC fundraiser highlighted in local newspaper for contribution to the yoga community

2010-07-12T09:44:00.000-04:00

Beatrice Marx, along with her team the Wellness Warriors, raised $6,000 this year for Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer. Her committment to the yoga community has made her contribution to this annual event more inspiring with each year. Samantha Costa, local reporter for the Courier Post, highlighted Beatrice Marx and her endless contributions to the yoga community in "At Center Peace."

Click here to read the article.

Beatrice Marx (center) prepares to lead the largest yoga class in the city of Philadelphia.

Don't forget to pack some YOGA in your suitcase

2010-07-08T09:24:00.000-04:00

Looking forward to a relaxing vacation this summer? With blazing 100-degree temperatures, who wouldn't want to make a trip to a beach resort, relax under a palm tree, and take modest sips of a delicious Bahama Mama? Well, while you're on your way to that well-deserved trip be sure to find a comfortable and shady spot to practice yoga. Adding a yoga routine to your get-a-way will make your vacation a life-changing and spiritual experience.

Take a look at The Ultimate Guide to Yoga Travel: 100 Essential Tips, Tools, & Links and find out why yoga will make your vacation a breathtaking experience!

Jennifer’s Everyday Retreat

2010-06-28T09:19:00.000-04:00

For all of you who thought that you’d have to wait until next year’s Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer to see master yoga instructor, Jennifer Schelter, in action…you thought wrong! Jennifer is ready to make her TV debut with a new television talk show, “Jennifer’s Everyday Retreat.” Could Jennifer Schelter be selected for the “Oprah’s Search for the Next TV Star” competition?

With your help, it’s possible to welcome a show that highlights and offers everyone a guide to practice the basics of health and well-being. Jennifer aims to inspire viewers and get them moving in a healthy direction today, tomorrow, and for years to come. The show entices you to try new things and be a beginner in the wonder of learning, expressing, thinking, feeling and communication. “Jennifer's Every Day Retreat” will support those who are looking to ease and relieve stress, anxiety, isolation, health-related issues and depression. It encourages balance, gratitude and fulfillment in your own skin while motivating others to share in the journey.

Please support Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer's Jennifer Schelter as she follows her dream to get her own talk show. Vote today!

Jennifer Schelter leads over 1,000 people at the largest yoga class in Philadelphia. All proceeds benefit LBBC's education and support programs.

Thank you for helping us go BEYOND our $200,000 fundraising goal

2010-06-08T10:05:00.000-04:00

Thank you for all those who helped to contribute to the lives of the 200,000 women who will be affected by breast cancer this year! Over 1,000 dedicated men, women and children followed prominent yoga instructor, Jennifer Schelter's lead and reached for the sun on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art on May 16. By then, LBBC was proud to announce that we raised over $170,000 for LBBC's education and support programs! To date, we are over our initial $200,000 goal and are estactic to announce that with the support of you, your generous donations, and our committed sponsors, we have raised over $219,000! What a success! Donations will continue to be collected until June 30th.

Help us continue to provide education and support at little to no cost by texting a small donation right from your mobile phone! Text “LBBC” to the number 20222, and a one-time donation of $10 will be added to your mobile phone bill or deducted from your prepaid balance. Messaging and data rates apply; all charges are billed by and payable to your mobile service provider. Spread the word to your friends, family and via social networking sites.

Spread the word! Help LBBC get to $230,000! We can do it!

Team Dreams...in honor of my mom

2010-06-03T10:11:00.000-04:00

This entry was written by 15-year-old Ari Shanon, the daughter of a breast cancer survivor:

Ari's Mom, Dorel, is a breast cancer survivor and attended this year's Yoga Unites for LBBC, alongside her daughter, Ari, team captain of 'Team Dreams.'

My mom brought me to my first Yoga Unites for LBBC when I was 7 years old. I'm 15 now. When I was looking for a service project for my bat mitzvah I thought of LBBC first. The reason I chose LBBC is because my mom had breast cancer when I was six, and it was a hard time. I remember cutting off her hair with my brother at a hair-cutting party before it fell out. Even though that's one of the only memories I have of that time, I know that LBBC was extremely helpful because my mom always talks about them. I'm really grateful to them for being there for my mom. So I decided to create a team for Yoga Unites for LBBC called Team Dreams and raise money for LBBC. Ever since, I've been creating a team filled with friends and family, and friends of friends. Even people I don't know support our team, and I'm so glad and honored that they join us on the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum.

Team Dreams raised over $5,000 for LBBC's education and support programs.

I really enjoyed my experiences with Yoga Unites for LBBC because, first of all, it's really cool to see so many people doing yoga together while looking out over the beautiful skyline of Philadelphia. Second of all, I love my team and they're all really great people for supporting me and LBBC, and for coming out every year. A bunch of my friends come every year and they really enjoy it. We have such a great time together. Third, the yoga is amazing. I don't usually get to do yoga during the year, though I did take a class when I was in fourth grade. During and after the Yoga Unites class I feel so strong. And I look at Jennifer and she looks really strong, and it makes me look forward to next year.

Ari (left) and her mom, Dorel, feel strong together as they practice yoga on the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum.

I mostly raise money for Team Dreams by emailing friends and family over and over, and asking them to email their friends and family. I also emailed my entire school this year. A few years ago our local paper did an article about Team Dreams and Yoga Unites for LBBC, which helped raise money. My grandmother is a huge help and emails all of her friends, and she usually comes and cheers us on along with my grandfather, my Dad and my brother. (They're the official Team Dreams photographers.) I'm really lucky to be surrounded by people who want to help this cause. Each year we've raised more money than the last. This year we raised more than $5,000, which was our goal. It feels really good to raise so much money for such a great organization.

One way LBBC can get more young people involved is by getting parents to bring their children and their children's friends to Yoga Unites for LBBC. Also by trying to get high schools to organize teams to raise money. A lot of young people have family members who've been affected by breast cancer, so this would be a good group to get involved. I think once they saw how much fun it is to be at Yoga Unites for LBBC and how easy it is to raise money, they'd want to do it every year.

Yoga Unites for LBBC is a fundraising activity that is open to everyone, even young high school students like Ari. You want to share your story? Email stacia@lbbc.org. It's not too late to donate!

Last Minute Decision...No Regrets

2010-06-02T11:01:00.000-04:00

Talk about a last minute decision! LBBC caught up with Sandi Selzer who decided to come out to support the 8th Annual Yoga Unites for LBBC event just hours before the event took place! She wouldn't regret her efforts!

This entry was written by Sandi Selzer:

I wanted to share my experience and pictures from this year’s Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer. I’ve heard about the event for the past two years and decided at 10pm on the Saturday night before to pack my yoga mat and take part. It was the best decision I’ve ever made! Seeing over 1,000 beautiful people doing yoga was obviously an amazing site. What I wasn’t prepared for was the incredible feeling of love, support and HOPE that surrounded us.

When we did our first pose and the clouds move away to let the sun shine on us, I realized that this was bigger than just a yoga class. I’m not a breast cancer survivor, but two of my close friends are and I will be sure to bring them with me next year. They are not “yogis,” but I will convince them that this event is more than just yoga—it’s a life changing experience. Thanks to all of you who made this happen—hope you like the pictures!

LBBC wants to hear about your experience too! Send your story to stacia@lbbc.org. Share your most fascinating, interesting or touching moment that you experienced at the 8th Annual Yoga Unites for LBBC. Thank you for your donations!

Dr. Kathryn Schmitz impressed with new yoga study

2010-05-28T09:47:00.000-04:00

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is hosting its annual meeting in one week. Over 30,000 clinicians will be in attendance at the annual meeting responding to and offering information as it relates to prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer. LBBC caught up with Dr. Kathryn Schmitz who was invited to speak at the meeting. She will be presenting guidelines for exercise testing and prescription for all cancer patients based on an expert panel brought together by the American College of Sports Medicine.

“Doctors are concerned about doing the best they can for their patients. There was a time, not so many decades ago, when cancer patients didn’t live as long as they do now, so doctors were teaching ‘take it easy,’ says Dr. Kathryn Schmitz as she discusses why most doctors don’t associate exercise with being the best option for cancer patients.

Dr. Schmitz conducts research that is based on the findings of the benefits of physical activity. While she targets those who suffer from obesity, she also has extended research to women affected by breast cancer as well. She supports a new study that ASCO released that shows evidence that yoga may help cancer patients with treatment side effects.

Dr. Schmitz is impressed with the way Dr. Karen Mustian went about conducting the yoga benefits study. “What’s lovely about this study is that Karen went through the oncologists. The challenge with dealing with cancer patients is getting clinicians involved…the oncologists have to know that it’s safe,” said Dr. Schmitz. “Until we provide information to physicians that women want this, women benefit from this and women will not be harmed, nothing will change,” she says.

Dr. Mustian was the lead author in a study that revealed that yoga had sustainable benefits on sleep quality, fatigue, and overall quality of life in cancer survivors. A total of 96% of the participants of the study were women and 75% of them had breast cancer.

“People [cancer patients] are living, and for a long time, particularly breast cancer patients. It turns out the talk of ‘take it easy’ is associated with worse risk than exercise itself. In my opinion, [doctors] should stop recommending patients avoid exercise,” says Dr. Schmitz. Primarily, doctors rely on medication to assist their patients with side effects of treatment and are more reluctant to “prescribe” exercise.

According to Dr. Schmitz, doctors don’t have time to investigate and encourage their patients to explore the benefits of exercise. “Women are talking to their doctors about arm pain, scar pain, side effects, and the best ways to prevent recurrence. By the time they are done with all of what is on their agenda, the allotted time for the appointment is over or even long past. And then Doctor’s are supposed to say ‘oh, there’s an exercise program you can do?’ There just isn’t enough time,” she said.

Financial issues also factor in when doctors consider suggesting exercise programs to their patients. “Cancer patients are tapped out financially. The financial burden of cancer treatment creates stress, and on top of that, many patients have taken as much time off as they are allotted at work. On top of that, they have to PAY for yoga classes? Cost can be a real barrier,” said Dr. Schmitz.

Dr. Schmitz and a team at the University of Pennsylvania are looking into disseminating an at-home yoga work-out video for breast cancer survivors as a way to assist with the high out-of-pocket costs for those undergoing treatment.

Dr. Schmitz herself has been practicing yoga since she was in elementary school. “People who have been doing it for the longest are the least likely to say they’re good at it, including me. I’m really still just a beginner,” she ends.

Dr. Schmitz has heard from people across the world who are pleased with the programs that LBBC provides. She has even offered to help LBBC promote more physical activity programs on a day to day basis for women affected by breast cancer.

To hear about the latest findings revealed at ASCO’s annual meeting, register for LBBC’s teleconference scheduled for June 11th: Breaking News from ASCO.

Are you having trouble sleeping? Are you suffering from fatigue after treatment? Talk to your doctor about practicing yoga at your local yoga studio and about any other options that may assist with treatment side effects. Tell us what your doctor suggested on our facebook page.

Moving Meditation

2010-05-26T09:31:00.001-04:00

This entry was submitted by LBBC staff member Stacia Weaver:

Jeanne Egan vicariously lived through her grandmother’s diagnosis of breast cancer. After finding three benign tumors, the dreaded fear of being diagnosed with breast cancer had somehow become a reality. In October of 2007, Jeanne had a bilateral mastectomy which revealed that she had a 1.6 cm malignant tumor.

“I always had a fear of cancer. I always thought I would get it. It was just a part of my story,” said Jeanne.

Jeanne attended the 8th Annual Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer event. She joined over 1,000 people as they all joined together on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art to support women affected by breast cancer. But Jeanne’s presence at the event was even more significant when she learned that she was the top individual fundraiser, raising over $2,000 for LBBC’s education and support programs. It was the first year that Jeanne participated in the event and accounts the benefits of yoga to helping her heal, cope and find peace, grace and divinity.

“When I do yoga [the instructors] talk about grace. They tell you ‘you’re one with the divine. The divine is within you and there, you will have grace.’ Yoga is a moving meditation. It keeps you in the present. You’re so aware of everything in your body,” said Jeanne as she admits that she’s not afraid of recurrence. “Yoga is a big part of it,” she says.

Participating in an outdoor yoga class would have been a “no, no” for Jeanne when she first finished treatment after her 2007 diagnosis. Jeanne admits that she felt so intimated by yoga that she practiced at home with a beginner’s yoga work-out tape for about a year. However, now Jeanne practices yoga three to four times a week and admits that she can even do the advanced classes.

“Whether you’re taking a yoga class on the Art Museum steps or a yoga studio, you’re trying to achieve being one with the universe. Yoga is where I find peace,” said Jeanne.

But Jeanne also finds peace in her female support system that helped her during her breast cancer diagnosis. Jeanne’s blog, Sisterhood and Survival: A Breast Cancer Blog, is a reflection of the bond of women and the power of the female connection. After being diagnosed with breast cancer, Jeanne credits her significant relationship with her women friends with helping her get through the tragic time. Her blog is a symbol that represents that “women help each other get through crisis and happy times as well.”

“The illness has changed my family,” says Jeanne, mother of two. “It was very difficult for my son. It didn’t change our relationship, but more so, our lives,” she says as she acknowledges the very women were able to step in and take action for her family during this traumatic experience. “My women friends were a web of caring, a safety net that lifted me up. We [my family] got here because of my women friends, my sisters.”

One of her ‘sisters’ attended the event with her. Jeanne and her team, “Sisterhood and Survival,” were deeply moved by master yoga instructor, Jennifer Schelter’s performance. “When Jennifer talked about love and grieving and that connection, we were crying. It’s so true. We grieve because we love. This event resonates to breast cancer survivors’ lives, recovery, and living beyond breast cancer.”

“This event is a movement,” she ends.

Did you attened LBBC's 8th Annual Yoga Unites for LBBC and you want to share your experience? Email stacia@lbbc.org. Remember, it's not too late to donate. Visit http://www.yoga4livingbeyondbreastcancer.org/.

8th Annual Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer a Definite Success!

2010-05-19T14:02:00.001-04:00

This entry was written by LBBC staff member Stacia Weaver:

Over 1,000 men, women and children participated in, connected with and supported the 8th Annual Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer. Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC) partnered with Jennifer Schelter, master yoga instructor and founder of Yoga Unites as she lead the largest yoga class in the city of Philadelphia on the morning of May 16, 2010. While participants followed Jennifer’s lead, the cloudy skies transformed into bright blue skies with a hint of yellow from the bright sun. With every yoga pose, Jennifer instructed each participant to reach for the sun’s rays.

Yoga Unites for LBBC is an annual fundraising event that provides a way for individuals and teams to support women affected by breast cancer and spread the word about healthy living, while raising funds and awareness for LBBC’s education and support programs. So far, we have raised over $185,000 for our education and support programs. However, we are still receiving generous donations from the participants of the event who are dedicated to helping us reach our ambitious goal of $200,000 for the 200,000 women who will be affected by breast cancer this year.

This year, Lu Ann Cahn, NBC 10 investigative reporter was the honorary chair of the event. The 18-year breast cancer survivor put down her reporter microphone and picked up her yoga mat for the 8th Annual Yoga Unites for LBBC. She talked about her journey with breast cancer and how she, herself, is living beyond the disease. Right after the hour-long class she took the stage. She told all participants it wasn’t too late to join in on the cause if they hadn’t done so already. She urged participants to take part in LBBC’s latest text-to-give initiative and text “LBBC” to 20222 to make a $10 donation. With everyone's help, we will reach our $200,000 goal.

The therapeutic and intimate outdoor yoga class was also lead in song by Yvette Pecoraro and her talented musicians who chanted soothing lyrics that coincided with each yoga pose. Participants were instructed to close their eyes, feel and release their energy, and internalize all emotions of love. Jennifer’s grandmother died from breast cancer. Throughout her class, she expressed her love for her grandmother and explained that her grandmother is in fact one of the reasons why Yoga Unites for LBBC is a special event for her.

Philadelphia Eagles mascot, ‘Swoop’ participated in this event and helped LBBC celebrate May 16, which had formally been declared Living Beyond Breast Cancer day in the city of Philadelphia. He put his wings to work on the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum with over 80 formed teams by his side.

The half-day event included an outdoor yoga class and Healthy Living Expo, where participants were engaged in informative conversations that highlighted yoga and exercise, healthful foods, natural cosmetics and goods and services to improve quality of life. Olga and Warners, one of the sponsors for the event, offered bra-fitting tips as they offered women free bras.

Click here to view pictures of the 8th Annual Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer. Enter password: yogaunites.

A Reason to Celebrate

2010-05-12T13:40:00.002-04:00

This entry was written by LBBC staff member Stacia Weaver:

Robin Schoen is not comfortable using the term ‘survivor’ and admits that she “didn’t want to be a member of a group of women with breast cancer; who would?” However, she will be taking part, for the first time, in the 8th Annual Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer event. “I’m looking forward to meeting more incredible women and sharing our experiences in support of one another.” One motivation: May 16th is Robin’s 54th birthday. Another, she’s a big believer in the benefits of yoga. Coincidentally, the city of Philadelphia has declared May 16th Living Beyond Breast Cancer Day.

Robin attributes much of her physical strength in coping with the treatment necessitated by her breast cancer diagnosis to the healing benefits of yoga. (She has been practicing yoga for more than 15 years, but has practiced it more consistently since 2007.) “In fact, I think the reason why I recovered so quickly following my surgery was the result of the core strength I developed from my yoga practice,” says Robin, as she describes her recovery from the mastectomy of her right breast and subsequent TRAM flap reconstruction. This surgery uses tissue and muscle mass from the abdomen to replace a removed breast.

Robin isn’t a member of one of the 80 or so teams that were formed in support of the May 16th event. “I’m not a great team player, so I decided to do this on my own,” she says. “I sent two e-mails and made a couple of personal calls, and pretty quickly received tremendous support in the form of very generous donations from my very supportive friends and family members.” To date, she has raised $2,695 for the annual fundraising event – exceeding her $2,500 goal – which will be used to advance LBBC’s work to support women whose lives have been affected by breast cancer and spread awareness of LBBC’s education and support programs.

Robin urges everyone to get involved with campaigns that deal with promoting awareness about the impacts of breast cancer. “Nearly 200,000 new cases of breast cancer are reported annually in the U.S. alone. The methods for dealing with breast cancer have significant physical and psychological impacts,” she says. “The removal of one’s breast or breasts – unlike, perhaps, the removal of an internal organ -- provokes profound responses and the people affected need and deserve attention.”

This may be what drives Robin to support LBBC rather than organizations focused on finding a cure. “With breast cancer – as with all cancers -- there are so many variables and they’re so specific, that I’m not sure a cure is possible; perhaps better, less invasive and less destructive therapies and treatments – but a cure? While driving toward these lofty goals, I think it’s important to remember to focus on providing the support needed by those who are living with breast cancer or its terrible impacts so they’re able to live their lives as unimpeded by this disease as possible.”

My Fourth Year Participating, My First as a Survivor

2010-05-10T09:41:00.000-04:00

This entry was written by Denise Portner of Elkins Park, PA:

This May will be the fourth year I’m attending the Yoga Unites for LBBC event, and I always love the feeling of camaraderie, the gentle early morning sun on our faces, the quiet of a group of hundreds during yoga together. The Healthy Living Expo is fun, the food is fresh and the coffee is delicious. But this year will be different. It will be the first one in which I am a survivor. And the lesson I’ve learned is that any one of us can go from supporter to survivor. But with the help of loved ones and an organization like LBBC, we can make it.

I had gotten involved with LBBC through my work in public relations, connecting one of my client companies to LBBC as a sponsor. The CEO has since joined LBBC’s board of directors, as has one of my law firm clients. Both are men whose wives, sisters and other relatives have had breast cancer, and they want to be involved with an organization that touches women so profoundly, through individual support, as well as the highest level of educational programming and seminars around. That’s what hooked me too.

From the start, I was impressed with how easy it was to work with Jean, Elyse, and all the staff at LBBC and how quickly they felt like friends. In the meantime, I was on my own personal journey, since my mother and aunt had both had breast cancer. After my aunt was treated, she and my mother underwent genetic testing and learned they carried the BRCA 2 mutation. My sister and I were then tested, and I learned I was BRCA 2 positive as well. In the summer of 2008, after visiting two local Family Risk Assessment centers and receiving top-notch counseling, I was giving thought as to whether to take prophylactic measures to prevent breast and ovarian cancer. I was in my mid-40s, and my mother and aunt had been diagnosed at age 60. I assumed I had time.

Last May, on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, I was a participant in Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer. In our tradition, I shared the morning with my friend Risa, her daughter and mother, who is a survivor. During the program, I listened to the stories and prayed for the women who had gone through so much, and was glad to contribute to a great cause. Later in the month, I attended my 25th college reunion in New England, spent the weekend with wonderful friends, and had a great time.

But then in June, I had an MRI rather than a mammogram, because of my genetic status. It showed an area of concern that I subsequently had biopsied, and all of a sudden, and forever, I became a woman who had breast cancer.

In the year since, I have had surgery, reconstruction, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. My care at Fox Chase Cancer Center has been top notch, and thank heavens, my prognosis is good. My family and friends have been there for me, and so has LBBC. The newsletters and teleconferences are suddenly extremely relevant – as if someone is reading my mind and addressing my concerns. Jean and Elyse have reached out to me, shared their experience, and put me in touch with experts for second opinions that are leaders in the field. The silver lining during this challenging year has been the expression of love and support I have received from my family, friends and colleagues, and the time I have been able to spend with them. I realize not everyone is as fortunate. Not everyone has the network I had, the insurance I had, the access to information and the ability to process it. And alas, not everyone is married to a physician who also cooks.

So this year, I appealed to my circle to help raise funds to support women who face this diagnosis with fewer resources than I had, because getting through cancer treatment is hard enough. This year, when we gather on the steps of the majestic Philadelphia Museum of Art, overlooking our beautiful city in the Sunday morning hours, my perspective will be very different. My sense of connection to LBBC and its supporters will be stronger. My compassion for those who suffer and worry and persevere, will be top of mind. And my gratitude for having reached this day, overwhelming.

It's not too late to part-take in this year's event! Sign up now at www.yoga4livingbeyondbreastcancer.org.

A Karma Project in Honor of a Loved One

2010-05-06T14:42:00.011-04:00

Lisa O’Rear thought that participating in this year’s 8th Annual Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer was the perfect way to complete her “Karma Project.” She has only been practicing yoga for a year and is now on her way to becoming a yoga instructor. One of the requirements for her yoga-teaching course is to complete a “Karma Project,” which brings yoga into the community by volunteering.

“Breast cancer is a huge deal. It runs in my family,” said Lisa. On April 23, 2010, Lisa lost her cousin Micheline Camire Bedard to breast cancer. She had been battling the disease for two years. “When Micheline was diagnosed, it brought back painful memories for our family. “Our aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 49. Micheline was the same age when she was diagnosed,” Lisa wrote in an email.

Yoga has been a fundamental experience in Lisa’s life. She credits yoga and its benefits to the healing effects that it has had on her personal life. “Yoga teaches you about acceptance; about being content with what is and not what could be,” said Lisa.

Over 200,000 women will be affected by breast cancer this year. However, a pilot study revealed that a brief yoga class would be beneficial for combating side effects from cancer treatment. Lisa is familiar with the many aspects associated with yoga. “It allows women to be physically involved. You can sit in a chair and do yoga. It makes them [women] feel like they’re doing something. It gives them hope,” she said.

Lisa, 33, has done research about breast cancer gene testing. She believes that the more you learn about breast cancer, the more you realize that it could in fact be you. She is afraid of breast cancer and disappointed that people don’t become involved enough until it affects them. “Motivation comes from within. How could you not be a part of something that affects so many people?”

“Think about all the women you work with; about all the women you come into contact with in your daily life.” Many of those women will be diagnosed with breast cancer,” said Lisa.

Yoga Unites for LBBC will take place on the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum on Sunday, May 16. Lisa’s team “MC Yoga Love” has raised $1,260 for LBBC education and support programs.

“You don’t always have the opportunity to do things like this in life. Micheline was a humble person. She was much more concerned about other people than herself. She was an inspiration,” she ends.

Would you like to share your story about participating in Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer? Email yarissa@lbbc.org.

Yoga Unites

2010-04-23T09:18:00.000-04:00

This post was written by Melissa from Ohio:

This is certainly true. It unites us as a community and it re-unites us with ourselves. If we just take the time to focus on our breathing, we can become present in the moment and live now instead of yesterday or tomorrow. There are plenty of things to worry about, but we are better capable of dealing with them when we slow down and breathe. There are various forms of yoga, and everyone can find something they are physically capable of doing and something they can enjoy.

I was involved in a study at The Ohio State University that set out to look at the role of yoga and stress in breast cancer survivors. The study is ongoing, so the data is not published yet, but we were shown very gentle movements and breathing exercises that were calming. My instructor was a peaceful, beautiful lady who truly loves yoga. Often that is the case with yoga instructors- they want to share the gift of yoga because it is such a great experience. We just need to let go and relax as students. Don't look at your neighbor's pose- focus on your breathing and relax into the pose. Let the day's worries melt away....

How do you feel about yoga? Has it help you cope? Share your thoughts with us, either here on this blog, on our Facebook page!

Team Spirit!

2010-04-21T09:24:00.000-04:00

This post was written by Sydney Licht, team captain of Team Spirit:

Yoga Unites for LBBC is one of my favorite days of the year. It is an experience that I have looked forward to since I was in eighth grade. I first formed a team when I was thirteen, completely unaware of how much of an impact Yoga Unites for LBBC would have on me. I was so impressed with the intimacy and uniqueness of the event- it was unlike any fundraiser that I had ever attended. Over the years my team, Team Spirit, has grown, and my friends and family have helped me to organize ice cream socials and bracelet sales in order to raise money for a genuinely awesome organization. This year with survivors among us, we have a very high fundraising goal of $3,000. We have arranged a fundraiser at Rita’s Water Ice on Butler Pike in Ambler on April 28th, 2010 from 4-9PM and plan to have raffle baskets filled with items such as yoga class cards, and gift certificates! I am incredibly glad to be involved with such a fantastic organization that I know has supported people close to me battling breast cancer. I am really looking forward to this year’s Yoga Unites for LBBC and hope that we can all help LBBC reach their goal to raise $200,000 in honor of the 200,000 women who will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year! See you there!

Like Sydney, you too can participate and help LBBC fulfill its mission of empowering all women affected by breast cancer to live as long as possible with the best quality of life. Join us on May 16 and participate.connect.support! Visit www.yoga4livingbeyondbreastcancer.org to register!

Pink Kitchen

2010-04-19T09:40:00.000-04:00

This entry was written by Lisa Grey, a first time participant:

My name is Lisa and this year I decided to participate in Yoga Unites for LBBC and form a team – Pink Kitchen -- for a few reasons:

I am a two-year survivor. I was born in Philadelphia. Most of my family - particularly those who supported me through the worst of my treatment - still lives in Philly. So there is something very nostalgic for me in supporting an event that takes place on the steps of the Art Museum.

I am also a huge fan of yoga. There is no other activity that can combine exercise, relaxation, and personal achievement in quite the same intensity as yoga can. I began practicing yoga two years before my diagnosis. Little did I know then that yoga would be such a critical part of getting through treatment, and then rejoining the non-cancer world. It was bittersweet for me - between the chemotherapy and all the surgeries I've had, I've lost so much of my range-of-motion and energy. Yet I've learned that yoga is a safe place - no one cares what you're doing, or how you're doing it. No one cares what level you'd reached before cancer struck. You're just there in the moment of each pose, feeling alive.

But the best reason I have for supporting Yoga Unites for LBBC is that LBBC helped me this year. For the first time, I attended the Annual Conference for Young Women Affected by Breast Cancer. I really felt like I needed to get away from my role as post-cancer Superwoman and surround myself with women who understood what it's like to balance cancer and daily life expectations. The workshops gave me a chance to empower myself through knowledge, while the social events let me leave my cancer label behind for awhile and just be 'Lisa'!

So here I am! I want to raise money so others can experience the conferences and programs like I did. I am earning my PhD in Health Psychology, and my dissertation research pertains to breast cancer and healthy living. I’m creating a cookbook series titled Pink Kitchen to make nutrition easy on survivors (and really, anyone) with a lack of time and energy....even if they think they have no knack for cooking. Next year, I hope to have a table at the event. Can't wait!

Why are you participating in this year's event? Comment here or on our Facebook page!

Yoga: Not Just Poses

2010-03-30T16:21:00.000-04:00

This entry was written by Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer instructor, Jennifer Schelter:

So you’re not sure about this yoga thing. Maybe you’re intimidated by the poses. Or maybe you’re unsure about whether the exercise is really helpful or not. Regardless of where you’re coming from, there’s probably a lot you don’t know about yoga. Bottom line: yoga is not just about poses. There are many physical and emotional benefits to be gained from giving it a try.

Practicing yoga is like being an architect of your body. You connect the dots between your mind and body, while cultivating well-being and happiness.

In the last ten years, yoga has become a great way to “get fit”, flexible, balanced and toned. We’re motivated by celebrity beauty and glamour and we fear aging and death like the plague.Those would be reasons enough for anyone to leap into yoga and seek the fountain of youth.

But what‘s really happening when you’re doing yoga?

The deeper benefits, whether you feel them or not in the beginning, far surpass asana (poses).

You can easily get physically injured if yoga becomes yet another thing you have to “win.” The mind is really what we are all up against. And the center of yoga is your relationship to perception and your mind.

How do you slow down the mind long enough to feel in sync with your body?

The mindfulness of a yoga practice acknowledges that your body, heart and mind are like a river. How are you going to relate to this river that is constantly in flux? What awareness do you need in order to cherish, love and forgive your body, your self, others and the world?

Yoga provides the basic structure for four important daily life practices:

1. Inspiration: Inspiration is the foundation of change and growth. It helps you understand and expand your ever-evolving self.

2. Attention: What you focus your attention on impacts your mind. Feed the mind thoughts of victimization and fear and that’s what you will see. Feed the mind thoughts of trust and love and that’s what you will see.

3. Intention: Growth and transformation can only be fulfilled if you are willing to allow new thought and action. These new thoughts and actions can help you create new experiences that result in improved health, well-being and love.

4. Choice: Choice is the key ingredient to well-being because, as we all know, excuses are plentiful and an easy way out. Choosing to commit to your intentions opens up new worlds of opportunity and friendships.

These past eight years of Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer have been an incredible testament to the power of inspiration, attention, intention and choice, not only from women affected by breast cancer, but from all the participants who join together to meditate, acknowledge life as it is and celebrate unstoppable optimism.

Regardless of whether you’ve tried yoga or not, come join us on the steps of the Art Museum May 16th!

Interact with other participants by visiting our Facebook page and following us on Twitter!

Fundraising for Dummies

2010-03-26T11:58:00.000-04:00

So you've registered for Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer and formed a team. Now you're not sure what to do next.

Fundraising can be a daunting thing, especially if you've never done it before. But there are hundreds of creative ways to fundraise that involve no prior training or skill. We're bringing some of these ideas to you in the hopes that you'll use them to help us raise $200,000 for the nearly 200,000 women that will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year.

1. Hold an event at a local restaurant.
Chances are you frequent a local restaurant regularly. Use this to your advantage and ask them to hold an event to benefit your fundraising team. Or ask them to donate a portion of the sale from a certain item to your team. Most restaurants are happy to help a good cause, especially if it will draw more people to them. Remember Jenna, our program coordinator? She raised over $500 in one evening by hosting an open bar night. Everyone paid $25 to get in and $10 of that went straight to Jenna's team, The Rack Pack.

2. Bag it up.
Let's face it: grocery stores are short-staffed these days. Most of us bag our own groceries, which takes extra time and is an added annoyance to most customers. So why not lend your services for the day? Find your local grocery store and offer to bag for a day (get your whole team involved). Leave tip jars at the registers for customers. Make sure to advertise this event beforehand as many customers will make sure to shop that day.

3. Embrace community organizations.
Visit your church, synagogue, fitness center or yoga studio and see what they can do to help. Maybe you can hold a Saturday morning pancake breakfast at your church and charge people $2 for a plate. Or maybe your fitness center or studio will hold a special, donations-only class to raise money for your team.

4. Use the kids.
Even if you're not a parent, you can still utilize local schools. Some schools will have a dress down day, where kids can pay $1 to wear jeans.

5. If you're good at something, sell it.
Everyone is good at something. If you like painting on the side, consider selling your paintings for a donation. If you like to make jewelry, sell it. If you're an organizer, offer to help someone organize their home in return for a donation. One of our supporters, Judy Herman, loves making chocolate chip banana cakes. Judy spent six days a week baking hundreds of cakes and raised over $5,000 for Living Beyond Breast Cancer. All she did was ask for a $10 donation for each cake.

Our website has lot's of other fundraising tips and tools for you to check out. The key is to look around you. Everyone is involved in some sort of group or organization, whether it be your work, volunteer organization, fitness center, book club, etc. Use these groups to brainstorm ways to raise money in the community.

Last but not least, ask for money. That form of fundraising is just as effective as ever. Write an email (or letter) to people you think may be interested in getting involved or making a donation. Personal stories always tug at people's hearts. Don't underestimate the impact of simply asking for help.

Do you have fundraising ideas of your own? Share them with others by becoming a fan of YU4LBBC on Facebook and following us on Twitter!

The Reason Behind it All

2010-03-24T16:55:00.000-04:00

All the proceeds raised from Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer go towards our programs and services. Programs like our Annual Conference for Young Women Affected by Breast Cancer. Check out the pictures from the 10th conference below--it's always good to remind ourselves why we're raising the money!

Help Living Beyond Breast Cancer raise $200,000 for the nearly 200,000 women that will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. We're almost at $25,000 already! You'd be amazed at the impact one fundraising team can have on the lives of thousands of women. Visit our website for more information & to form a fundraising team.

Become a fan of Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer on Facebook or follow us on Twitter!

The Rack Pack

2010-03-22T10:40:00.001-04:00

This entry was written by Jenna Jackson, LBBC's Program Coordinator:

When my colleague asked me to write a blog entry about why I decided to start my own Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer fundraising team I thought it would be an easy thing to do. But now that I am trying to write it down, I’m finding it difficult to pinpoint just a few reasons for getting involved in the event. There are thousands of reasons why I felt it was something I wanted to do.

My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer during my spring break freshman year of college. I remember feeling lost and not knowing what to expect during the next few years. Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer helps fund a lot of the programming that assists families like mine during that time of confusion and uncertainty.

I recently became a Program Coordinator at Living Beyond Breast Cancer, which means I assist in the planning of our education events. In this position, I have the privilege of attending all of our conferences and networking meetings; as well as, listen in to all of our teleconferences. I am able to observe first hand all of the valuable resources that Living Beyond Breast Cancer provides to women affected by breast cancer.

I also felt it was a great event to bring all of my friends together. Once I decided to start a fundraising team, I asked all of my girlfriends on facebook and was surprised by all of the positive responses. I currently have 12 friends on my team and it gives us something positive to do together. We recently held a fundraiser at a local bar and restaurant and raised $520 for our team in two hours. Not many 23-27 year olds can say that they raised that much money on a Saturday night while just having fun with their friends!

There are a lot of reasons why I started my own fundraising team for Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer and I certainly can’t list all of them in this blog entry. To summarize all of them, I’d just like to say it is a healthy, fun, and unique way to bring people you know together for a good cause.

Jenna (on left) and her sister

Like Jenna, you too can form a team for Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer! Just visit the website to register and get started. If you don't feel like starting your own team, join an existing one! There are tons of ways to get involved and help us raise $200,000 for the nearly 200,000 women that will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year.

A Tribute

2010-03-15T15:23:00.004-04:00

This entry was written by Jennifer Schelter, creator of Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer:

Every year I dedicate Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer to my grandmother, Katherine Converse. She was one of my best friends. When she was diagnosed with breast cancer, there were no organizations like Living Beyond Breast Cancer available. For me, Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer begins and ends with her. Her legacy and everything she gave to me: family dinners, blue fish, strawberries and vanilla ice cream, sunny afternoons around her pool, hours playing “Hearts” around her kitchen table, visiting me at college, writing letters back and forth, always being there to talk and being a fabulous woman and grandmother.

I know my grandmother would have benefited from Living Beyond Breast Cancer and loved to participate in their programs and services. That’s why I dedicate my time and love of this event to her memory and to all the fabulous women I know who are courageous and loving, even in the face of breast cancer.

Who in your life is courageous, despite their circumstances? Consider forming a fundraising team in honor or memory of them for the 8th Annual Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer. It’s an amazing opportunity to honor the life of a loved one and help raise $200,000 for women affected by breast cancer. Learn more about the event, register and form a team by going to the website.

Jennifer Schelter is the founder of Yoga Unites®, a nonprofit dedicated to inspiring individuals and engaging communities by nurturing creativity and well being through the transformative power of yoga. Jennifer is also the founder and owner of Yoga Schelter.

Check out our blog and join us on Facebook!

Check your ego at the door

2010-03-11T11:24:00.003-05:00

This entry was written by one of our volunteers. This is her first year participating in the event:

It’s coming up on my two-year anniversary since my breast cancer diagnosis. It’s been quite a journey in just two years! When I was first diagnosed in April 2008, I knew my life would change forever. At first, I thought it would change for the worst. But, this experience has changed me for the best in so many ways.

One of the most significant uplifting experiences I have had on this journey is my involvement with Living Beyond Breast Cancer. When I received the Guide for the Newly Diagnosed that first day in my surgeon’s office, I felt hope. LBBC’s mission statement would become my mantra; live the best quality of life for as long as possible.

About six months ago, I decided it was time for me to start getting back into yoga. (Of course, I thought I was a pro from way back when - I was self-taught using my power yoga DVDs.) I took an intensive beginner’s yoga class and from there I became hooked. At first, I just thought it would be good exercise. After a few weeks, I began to make the connection that yoga could change me not just physically, but spiritually and mentally. Back when I was initially diagnosed, I felt betrayed by my own body. As I get more into yoga and learned to breathe and listen to my body, I feel more in touch with my body. I am developing awareness. I am also learning acceptance of what I can and cannot do. I have learned to check my ‘ego’ at the door.

I am learning to live in the moment. I feel peace and jubilation that doesn’t end when the class ends. It only seemed natural that I get involved in LBBC's event, Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer, which is a basic outdoor yoga class and Healthy Living Expo. I formed a fundraising team for the event and appropriately named it "Jubilant Jugs."

Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer is a perfect event on so many levels: increasing awareness while supporting our mothers, sisters, and friends. And what a perfect place for such an event - at the top of the Philadelphia Art Museum steps! Rocky fans will particularly enjoy that location.

What am I looking forward to most? Participating with my fellow sisters (and brothers) on those Art Museum stairs. Jubilant Jugs… here we come!

Want to form a fundraising team for Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer?
Just visit the website & register to get started. It's a great way to honor someone's memory, support a loved one or like Kathy, celebrate being out of treatment! Even if you don't know someone affected by breast cancer or don't live in the Philly area, you can still form a team. 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year...let's support these women by raising $200,000!

Remember to visit us on Facebook & follow us on Twitter!

Hakuna Ma TATA's

2010-03-09T11:10:00.001-05:00

This entry was written by Ann Kaczmarskyj, a Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer supporter:

In the past six years, my mother has been diagnosed with breast cancer four times. This past year, I decided to participate in as many breast cancer events as possible during the last year of my 20’s. I found Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer, and signed up. It was one of my favorite events, and I decided I had to do it again! However, I wanted to do more, so I’m recruiting others to join me. That’s how my fundraising team, Hakuna Ma TATA’s, was born.

My motto has always been, “don’t worry about it until you’re given something to worry about.” I’ve kept this in mind each time my mother was diagnosed. It helps me focus on the positive. Naturally, I wanted to incorporate it into my participation. After all, who can forget a name like Hakuna Ma TATA’s?

This event is my way of doing something for my mother, and all the other women and supporters affected by breast cancer. I’ve never heard of an event that promotes breast cancer awareness through yoga in such a public setting. What a great way to get the message out—on the steps of a major tourist attraction! At last year’s event, I performed yoga on the top step of the Philadelphia Art Museum. I remember looking down at all the other participants and being amazed by the quiet. It’s not often you’re in a city and its quiet. I was touched by the moment and the fact that we were all there for the same reason.

Am I a yoga professional? Absolutely not. But I went out there and had a great time. The instructor gave alternatives for beginners like me. Even if you can’t perform yoga, just relax and take in the peace of the city. You’re there for a good cause and watching the class on the steps is just as breathtaking as participating in it.

My mother has been a pillar of strength in our family. By participating in Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer, I’m being strong for her. I’m also being strong for the men and women that have been diagnosed with breast cancer, and for the thousands of men and women that will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. Instead of sitting around worrying about what could happen, I’m taking action to help change what will happen. After all, worry gets you nowhere. Will you join me?

Hakuna MaTaTa!

Ann & her mother Martha

Ann is proof that you don’t need to live in Philly to form a fundraising team. She’s doing this all from Virginia, with some team members from New York! If you’d like to join Ann’s fundraising team, another existing team or form your own, please visit the event website. We’re encouraging all participants to form fundraising teams in order to help us raise $200,000. Last year, our fundraising teams brought in $68,052—which was over half of the total amount raised. Donations at all levels help us reach our goal and even just $5 or $10 can make a difference!

If you’re already registered to participate, share your story with us by leaving a comment below or on our Facebook Page. Why have you decided to get involved? Who are you raising the money for? You may have a chance to be featured in our next blog entry. Until then…Happy Fundraising!

One Song

2010-03-03T11:28:00.000-05:00

This entry was written by Beatrice Marx, a breast cancer survivor, yoga instructor and LBBC volunteer:

Yoga has always been a part of my life, but it wasn’t until I was diagnosed with breast cancer that I dove deeper into its roots. I found that yoga could help me cope with my newly changed life. It became a significant factor in how I approach my health and my life.

Like many, I initially tried yoga for its physical aspects. The mantras, affirmations and the meditation didn’t interest me. I just knew that I wanted to beat breast cancer and to not let it change me. If anything, I wanted to grow because of it. I wanted to make a positive out of a negative. As I practiced yoga after my first surgery, I focused on regaining strength and flexibility and slowly began to realize the beautiful connection between my breath, body and mind. I felt that I could get through anything with grace and dignity.

As a woman living with breast cancer there are many long waits, doctor visits, test results, scans, the “chemo chair”, etc. As you wait, you watch your loved ones go through the waiting along with you. What gave me peace during this time was focusing on my breathing. Even if you have never tried yoga before, we have all had moments where we’re aware of our breathing. I recommend breath awareness to all, especially to those diagnosed with breast cancer. Close your eyes and just follow your breathing. Follow it as it travels through your body and find it as it calms and relaxes every muscle and nerve. Feel the smile as it slowly creeps over your face. This is yoga. Peace in any situation.

Each day, I put one foot in front of the other as best I can. All of us are awakening to health and to joy at our own rate. Sometimes a discomfort brings us into a much deeper connection with who we truly are and allows new blessings to enter our lives unexpectedly. It is my wish for all women to realize their potential for grace and healing. We are all part of one song with many melodies. Sometimes joyful, sometimes sad, but the song continues and so must we.

Will you be apart of something bigger than yourself? Help us raise $200,000 for women affected by breast cancer at the 8th Annual Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer. The first 50 people to register and form a fundraising team during March will receive a free watch from White House Black Market! Get more details by visiting our Facebook page.

Remember to Breathe

2010-03-01T10:40:00.002-05:00

This post was written by Jeanne Egan, a breast cancer survivor & Yoga Unites for LBBC participant:

Prior to having breast cancer two and a half years ago, my day usually began with two Oreo cookies for breakfast accompanied by a couple big cups of coffee. I was usually sleep deprived, so a little sugar and caffeine in the morning seemed to be just the perfect things to get me going.

“Mommy, can I have a cookie for breakfast too?” My children would ask, not understanding why they couldn’t partake in this decadent morning delight. “When you're a grown up you can have whatever you like for breakfast,” I would flippantly respond. Looking back, I realize that my cavalier attitude towards my health was foolish.

“Diagnosis cancer” forced me to rethink a lot of things. First was my diet and second was my exercise regime. I rarely ate fruit and never took a vitamin supplement. I have always liked vegetables but I certainly wasn’t getting enough of them. I had been a runner for many years, but in the two years prior to my illness my running was sporadic. Oddly enough, I had dropped five pounds.

After finishing my chemotherapy and gaining weight, I decided I need a more holistic approach to my health. I cut out red meat, began to take flaxseed oil and vitamins, and changed to a diet of mostly fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. As far as my fitness regime, I continued to run but I bought a yoga DVD at the grocery store and began to learn Anusara yoga on my family room floor.

The changes in my body were almost immediate. Because there is so much focus on breathing, I achieved a deep relaxation while strengthening and stretching my entire body. I felt longer and more flexible than I used to. My core became stronger and my balance improved.

I finally got up the nerve to attend class at a yoga studio. Now, I enjoy Vinyasa classes with advanced practitioners and RePose Yoga with other cancer survivors. Each session brings me something different. As I participate in a moving meditation, I begin to know each and every part of my body just a little bit better, thus experiencing the healing effects of this ancient practice. Each time I emerge from my yoga class I am reminded of the importance of nurturing my body and my mind.

I'm looking forward to the Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer event and the opportunity to share this experience with family, friends and other breast cancer survivors on the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum. Yoga can be a valuable part of a healthy lifestyle as a breast cancer survivor. It helps bridge the gap between the mind and body. It teaches us about the divinity in each and every one of us. Most importantly, it reminds us that we all have a unique gift to give to the universe. All we need to do is to remember to breathe.

Check out Jeanne's blog.

Even if you’ve never tried yoga before, this event is a great way to support women affected by breast cancer while focusing on healthy living. It’s a powerful experience to see hundreds of members of the community practicing yoga with the city skyline as a backdrop. If you don’t live in Philly, don’t worry! You can still help us raise $200,000 for the nearly 200,000 women that will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. Why not form a fundraising team with family, friends or co-workers? There are plenty of ways to fundraise and our cool incentives provide great motivation. Check out the Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer website for more information.

An Insider's Story

2010-02-25T13:28:00.000-05:00

This entry was written by Michelle Zeigler, LBBC's Marketing & Communications Assistant:

I always assumed yoga was for flexible people. Not for someone like me—who can barely reach down and touch her toes; someone who trips over a jump rope and somehow falls over an aerobics step at the gym. When I was hired at Living Beyond Breast Cancer as the Marketing & Communications Assistant, I knew I’d be working on Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer. And I knew I needed to understand—really understand—what the event was all about.

It’s hard to explain what the event means, because it holds different meanings for different people. For me, this was an opportunity to help change the lives of so many women. Women whom I had never even met. It was an opportunity to be a part of something bigger than myself—and bigger than my everyday stresses. Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer gave me an opportunity to step outside of myself and put life in perspective. There are women out there going through much more than me—and staying positive. They’re living their lives to the fullest. Couldn’t I take some time to focus on someone other than myself?

So I decided to not only help plan the event, but to join Living Beyond Breast Cancer’s fundraising team and help raise the money. You may be saying to yourself, I’m no fundraiser. Well, neither am I. Marketing and fundraising are two completely different things!

What kept me motivated to raise the money? The women we serve. Women whose phone calls I take each day. Women who tell me they’ve just been diagnosed with breast cancer and are afraid. Women who tell me they need support. Women who tell me they’ve chosen to live their lives as fully as possible. Women who tell me they have hope.

I also do it for the caregivers. Those whose loved ones have been diagnosed, but who remain by their side. Husbands that stand by their wives. Daughters that encourage their mothers. Friends that help a loved one without being asked. I raise the money for them.

When I stood at the bottom of the Philadelphia Art Museum steps last year, I watched as families gathered together to do the yoga poses. I watched as two friends embraced. I watched as fundraising teams with matching shirts encouraged one another. It was breathtaking and overwhelming, all at the same time. So many people from so many walks of life…all in one place for the same reason.

I’ll always remember that moment. I remember that moment when I’m stressing over not having enough time in the day. I remember that moment when I’m sitting in traffic and feeling the weight of inconvenience upon me. I remember that moment when I’m angry with a loved one. I remember it and think, life is so much greater than this. Am I always successful at stepping outside of myself? Of course not. But this event has made me think hard about life and how I want to live it. And I’m thankful for that.

Have a story to share? Leave a comment here or on our Facebook Page. It's with your support that we can raise $200,000 for the nearly 200,000 women that will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year.

A Snapshot

2010-02-19T15:37:00.001-05:00

We can tell you how amazing Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer is (which we do). But pictures also speak for themselves...

Unfortunately nearly 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year alone. That's why we've set a fundraising goal of $200,000 for this year's event. Will you help us? Check out the website and become a fan of Yoga Unites for LBBC on Facebook. And of course...spread the word!

Never done yoga before? No problem!

2010-02-17T13:39:00.001-05:00

This entry was written by Yarissa Reyes, our Marketing & Communications Manager:

When I first heard about Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer I must admit I was a little intimated by the thought of hundreds of people doing a yoga class on the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum. Doing weird poses in front of strangers? No thank you.

I always thought of yoga as something spiritual people did to get in touch with their inner self, you know the whole meditation thing. The more I learned about the event, however, the more intrigued I became. I started reading some of the blog entries and talked with numerous people who had participated in years past. Everyone had one thing in common to say: You have to try it!

When I saw pictures of the event from previous years, I was in awe. It’s inspiring to see so many people together in unity – men, women, children, teens, young ones and not so young – all together for one great cause. Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer is unique in that you don’t have to run or walk, you need not be in excellent physical shape to participate, all you need is to be there and breathe.

What I’m looking forward to the most is seeing everyone together in a sense of community, a community of support for women affected by breast cancer.

Something else that is inspiring is the banner that is signed by everyone in honor of, in support of, in memory of… When the event is over, the banner is filled with names and pictures and signatures. It’s a vivid reminder that we’re all touched by cancer in some way.

I can’t wait until May 16. I’m looking forward to taking my little corner on the steps of the Museum with my husband, my two daughters, friends and family. I want to take lots of pictures so I can share with those who aren’t able to make it to this year’s event but who are supporting me in my efforts of raising money for LBBC.

If you have doubts about taking part in this event, I invite you to read the other blog posts, take a look at the photos and video and join the online community on Facebook. I promise you that you’ll want to try it too!

Footprints

2010-02-08T12:50:00.000-05:00

This post was written by one of the women we serve:

I was 19 years old and life couldn’t get any better. I was going into my junior year in college as a teaching major, had a wonderful boyfriend, and a new family who loved me. I was two weeks away from my 20th birthday, and I was so excited to be done with my teenage years. But a routine yearly exam with my doctor made my life come to a stand still… or so it felt. On May 28, 2008, I was diagnosed with Stage IIIA breast cancer.

From my doctor, I went to the hospital where an ultrasound was performed. The following day I was sent to a bigger hospital for a biopsy. (Living in more than small town USA you have to go away for anything other than ordinary medical care.) Six days later I was laying on an operating table in the middle of a lumpectomy. Over the course of the next 18 months I would have four more lumpectomies. May 28, 2008 changed me as a person and as a human– to me there is a very big difference. I thought, wait… this can’t be happening to me. I’m an athlete and a healthy, happy, young woman.

I remained numb for about 3 months. Through chemotherapy, and 2 more lumpectomies I refused to take on the role of cancer victim. I was so angry at life and at everyone around me because I was in a world all my own; a world no one around me could understand or wanted to understand. August came and I went back to college. I have remained in school through the entire 18 months of my battle. I am now 21 years old.

This past summer, two days before I turned 21, I found out the cancer had metastasized to my ovaries- a very rare location for this cancer to spread to. Since then, I have gone through six months of targeted therapy with strict diets and exercise routines. I was told on November 19, 2009 that my cancer had gone into remission. I went last week for my first PET scan, and the cancer was back with a vengeance. I already have two new tumors. I skipped the depressed state and went straight to angry. This quickly turned to constructive anger and I became proactive in getting treatment.

I am scheduled for a complete hysterectomy on Friday, January 12th. I am very scared. The mastectomy has to wait until school is out. I am currently in my student teaching and am set to graduate in May 2010. The hysterectomy will leave some sense of peace in me I hope. I am determined to be back into remission by graduation.

There are so many people who have made this journey possible. They added humor and joy to each day. They carried me when I thought tomorrow would never come. I lost many people through my diagnosis, but found others who truly are the best of friends. Don’t ever give up because when you see only one set of footprints, because it means you’re being carried when you no longer have the strength.

It's stories like these that are the reason why we hold events like Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer (YU4LBBC). Will you help us raise $200,000 for women affected by breast cancer? Visit the event website to learn more and get involved.

A Shared Experience

2010-02-03T13:23:00.005-05:00

This entry was written by Dorel Shanon, a breast cancer survivor who has attended Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer every year:

Dorel in action

My daughter Ari attended her first Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer event with me when she was in second grade. I went by myself the first year after completing treatment for breast cancer. It was a magical, powerful and incredibly transformative experience that I will never forget. That morning allowed me to take one more step in moving beyond my experience with breast cancer. I was excited to bring my daughter with me the second year. What I didn't realize was that the event would begin to define a partnership for us over the next six years.

Ari loved her first Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer event, and her small and incredibly energetic body moved effortlessly through the various poses. While the meditative moments were probably challenging for her, she enjoyed it and soon began taking a children’s yoga class in our neighborhood. We also began using yogic breathing techniques together whenever she was anxious or stressed. Although Ari’s yoga practice is now relegated to the annual Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer event (she prefers soccer, softball and other sports), she’s learned so much from participating in the event. It's also turned her into a successful fundraiser.

A few years ago, Ari decided to raise funds for LBBC by creating a fundraising team for her Bat Mitzvah project. Though she would probably describe herself as somewhat shy and not a natural fundraiser, she raised $3000 for LBBC that year. She also created her own team, Team Dreams, and brought about 25 people to the event. Last year Ari and I partnered together to raise money for her team and raised about $5000. We spent the morning on the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum, surrounded by her friends and many of their moms. It was amazing to see the young girls moving and stretching their bodies to Jennifer’s calm and inspiring meditations, holding graceful poses while we, the moms, tried hard to keep up! It was wonderful to see them take in the calm and focus that comes with the practice of yoga, especially in their otherwise insanely hectic lives. It was also moving to see this group of teenagers surrounded by breast cancer survivors.

That first Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer event gave me the opportunity to share with my daughter the importance of deep breathing to quiet the mind and create an inner peace, even for a moment. As she reminds me, it wasn’t always helpful or even possible to do this, especially during a temper tantrum! But now it’s not unusual for her to come to me when I’m feeling particularly stressed or anxious and say: “Mom, just take some deep breaths and focus. You’ll feel better if you do.”

I am filled with joy every year, when we walk up the steps of the Art Museum for our morning of yoga. The event, in and of itself, has given us a wonderful, shared experience. Beyond that, Ari has learned some important things from Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer: to strive to be fully present in each moment, to be grateful for the wonders of her body, and all it has to offer, to be in community with others whose lives have all been touched in some way by breast cancer, and to give back to an organization that has given so much to me and to our family.

Want to join this amazing event? Visit the event website and get involved by forming a fundraising team. Like Ari & Dorel, you can help us reach our goal of raising $200,000 for women affected by breast cancer.

From Survivor to Thriver

2010-02-01T16:05:00.005-05:00

This post was written by Edie Weinstein, who attended last year's event.

In early 2009, I reconnected with a friend whom I haven't spoken with for 30 years. He introduced me to his wife Andi Morris. A Center City Philadelphia area Realtor, Andi is also a two time breast cancer survivor, who shares, “I was diagnosed when I was 37 and then when I was 43, I was re-diagnosed.”

With the initial diagnosis, she was frightened and shocked. With the second diagnosis, came anger, “because I was working so hard to get beyond breast cancer.” Andi has a full, rich life that includes travel, returning to work and volunteering for an amazing organization called Living Beyond Breast Cancer. She is also an active board member for the organization.

I came face to face with this thriver, (my definition: someone who has surpassed survivor mode and reaches out to help others because of his or her own experience) when I joined a group of 200+ brave souls who gathered on the steps of Philadelphia Museum of Art, on May 17, 2009. This same structure made famous by the pounding feet and upraised arms of Rocky was the holy ground for a gentler endeavor; the 7th Annual Yoga Unites For Living Beyond Breast Cancer. More than $100,000 was raised on a day that carried wind gusts which threatened to blow us into the Schuylkill River!

When I arrived at the event, the gray clouds loomed ominously and the steps were already puddled and slippery. As I stood from the next-to-top tier of the steps and gazed downward, I looked with delight at the rainbow sea of mats and people gathered. All ages, body sizes, levels of yoga-expertise, some familiar faces from the yoga community (which I have come to know has some of the biggest hearts in the world) some new companions in the mission to support survivors in re-creating their lives...family of choice and chance, we were becoming.

As for Andi? Her team of friends surrounded her during the yoga event, coyly calling themselves “Andi's Girls,” a double entendre' in reference to her reconstructed breasts.

To help ensure that others keep laughing in the midst of their own challenges while they live with and beyond breast cancer, please visit the Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer website. Form a fundraising team to help us reach our new goal of raising $200K for women affected by breast cancer!

Edie Weinstein is a free-lance journalist, speaker, social worker, Bliss Mistress, PR Goddess, Joy Coach and Cosmic Concierge, as well as an interfaith minister. Her website is http://www.liveinjoy.org/.

Seven Year Pitch

2010-01-29T14:10:00.002-05:00

One of our volunteers, Cheryl Dudley, started a fundraising team for Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer last year. She was our top individual fundraiser and brought in over $2,000. This is her story:

I saw last year as a critical benchmark for me. Having been diagnosed with breast cancer seven years earlier at 43, there was enough time behind me to wonder if it could happen again. I was particularly anxious about getting my mammogram last year. When contacted by LBBC about putting a team together, I had decided I wasn’t going to do Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer again – despite the fact that my diagnosis date corresponded with the first year of the event. I wanted to get my clean mammogram again and continue my busy life. But, after getting the clean results of my mammogram for the 7th year in a row, I felt euphoric. And I wanted to express my gratitude in a tangible way. After all, LBBC was with me at the beginning of my journey... as they have been for so many others.

The tangible way for me to express my gratitude was to put together a fundraising team for the event. I named it the "Seven–Year Pitch," in honor of my seventh cancer-free mammogram. I was concerned at first about raising the money. But I looked beyond that and pledged to do my best in reaching my goal of raising $2,000.

The website made it easy to fundraise. It provided a visual way of tracking our individual and team progress in raising funds for LBBC. I checked the site at least daily (sometimes several times a day!) once we got started to see how the money was coming in, and who responded. I was surprised by how much was given. Those I didn’t expect to respond did, as well as those I knew in my heart would contribute in some way. When we surpassed our goal, I wondered if our original sights were too low, or if our friends and supporters were more generous than what we anticipated. Perhaps both.

The team name was centered on my own survival and very helpful in terms of getting family, friends, co-workers and acquaintances to participate with me. I was 7 years clean and wanted to make a pitch to those in my networks to celebrate with me. The name was also a way to push past any dread and to claim “7” as a marker of good things yet to come.

The rainy Sunday of the event didn’t dampen our spirits. We extended our arms in appreciation for each who joined with us, not just on the steps of the Museum that day, but beyond that place and much further than our eyes could see.

Cheryl is proof that you don't need to live in the Philadelphia area to participate in Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer. All you need is an idea. Cheryl reached out to her networks to ask others to join with her--you can do the same! Family, friends, co-workers, Facebook friends...they're all willing to help. All you need to do is ask. Check out our website for more info and to get fundraising tools.

When Pink is Just a Color

2010-01-27T10:39:00.005-05:00

Found this blog today and watched this amazing video...

Help us raise $200,000 for women affected by breast cancer so we can get to the point where pink IS just a color.

A Brigade for Breast Cancer Awareness

2010-01-22T10:58:00.003-05:00

This entry was written by Gina Peracchia, who formed a fundraising team for Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer in honor of her mother:

I know of many people affected by breast cancer in some way. I've known friends' mothers, grandmothers, etc. who were diagnosed with the disease, but never in my life did I think it would hit so close to home.

My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer on January 16, 2009. It took awhile for that fact to sink in and myself, my dad and brother were constantly going through the motions. My mom was physically and mentally suffering, and none of us knew what to do. I believe she felt alone throughout much of her diagnosis. When she found Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC), everything changed.

LBBC has become a huge part of my mom's life. This organization undoubtedly gave her a new perspective on life and taught her how to live for tomorrow. After my mom started volunteering at LBBC, I wanted to do something to help as well. She told me about Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer and how she was planning on participating in the event this spring. Because I knew she'd be busy preparing for my wedding in April, I offered to form a team for her. A few weeks ago, the 2nd Base Brigade was born.

Yoga is an amazing form of exercise, especially for our mental well-being. Besides being a great way to fundraise, I think it's also a great way to bring family and friends together, along with breast cancer survivors, and show them how much they mean to us. We want them with us for a long time to come and Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer is a special way of helping make that possible. I am proud to be a part of the 2nd Base Brigade and I know my mom appreciates the support. I'm happy to say that at this year's event, my mom will be participating as a one-year breast cancer survivor.

Everything I do that involves LBBC is not only for my mom, but for others living with breast cancer. Yes, it feels good to volunteer and participate in an event for a good cause, but it's different when you've seen firsthand what this disease can do to a person. I'm hoping other survivors will find peace on May 16, as we climb the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum.

(l to r) Gina's mom Susan and Gina

Want to learn more about Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer? Visit yoga4livingbeyondbreastcancer.org. You can also become a fan on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Who are you going to raise money for?

New Year, New Goal

2010-01-19T10:12:00.002-05:00

It's that time of year again! Our 8th Annual Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer will be held on Sunday, May 16, on the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum. We surpassed last year's goal of raising $100,000 for Living Beyond Breast Cancer's programs and services. This year, we're raising the bar.

Did you know 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year? We've set a fundraising goal of $200,000 to honor and support these women. In order to reach that goal, we need participants to fundraise! That's why we're encouraging everyone to form fundraising teams and raise at least $75. If you do, you'll get a free event t-shirt. This is an easy goal to achieve, since last year, the average participant raised $300. Why not beat that average? Visit the Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer website for more info. We have plenty of fundraising tools to help you out!

If you've never heard of this event or are on the fence about getting involved, check out the video below. Trust us. This event will change your life.

Get involved & interact with other participants by visiting our social networks! Become a fan of the Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer Facebook Page, follow us on Twitter, or view our videos on YouTube.

Inside Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer

2009-07-29T16:05:00.001-04:00

Hundreds braved the rain to come to the 7th Annual Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer on Sunday, May 17, 2009. The rain stopped just in time for the yoga class on the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum. One dedicated attendee blogged about her experiences at the event. Visit her blog to see what she had to say.

Save the date for our 8th Annual Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer, which will be held on Sunday, May 16, 2010. If you want to get involved, contact Lauren at lauren@lbbc.org.

Yoga Unites® for Living Beyond Breast Cancer Makes Headlines

2009-05-15T11:47:00.001-04:00

LBBC’s social media efforts made the front page of the Philadelphia Inquirer today—check it out here! You can also read about Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer and see a photo in today's edition of the Philadelpia Daily News.

T-Minus Two Days

2009-05-15T10:28:00.000-04:00

The day is almost upon us! Thank you to everyone who has donated or started a fundraising team for Yoga Unites® for Living Beyond Breast Cancer. We have raised over $95,000 so far and have almost reached our goal of $100K!

If you haven’t registered yet, there’s still time! Just visit our Web site at yoga4livingbeyondbreastcancer.org. Trust us, you don’t want to miss out on this amazing event. Even if yoga’s not your thing, there’s still plenty to do!. Here are a few highlights:

Catered food.
Who doesn’t love food? Feast Your Eyes is catering the breakfast, which is sure to be delicious. The food will be served after the yoga class and is a great way to celebrate a job well done!
Massages.
Massage therapists will be on hand to soothe tired muscles. I’m sure we all could use a massage after a long week! Not to mention, all proceeds benefit LBBC. Now you can relax for a good cause.

SWAG.
It stands for “Stuff We All Get,” and you’ll get plenty of it at this event! The first 600 people to check in or register will receive gift bags filled with all kinds of goodies, including nail polish, ChapStick, energy bars, day planners and much more.

Self-Exams.
Not sure how to do a breast self-exam? Lead sponsor Aetna will provide breast self-exam training at the event. It’s a great opportunity to learn how to be aware of your own body.

Bra Bar.
It’s like a regular bar with bras instead of drinks. We’ll leave this one a mystery to be revealed at the event.

Our Healthy Living Expo will feature many exhibitors, including yoga studios, spas, gyms, clothing companies and other breast cancer awareness organizations. LBBC will have our own table featuring official Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer merchandise. And if you get dehydrated from all this activity, there’s plenty of Smartwater to go around! For all you top fundraisers, make sure to stick around after the yoga class to receive your prizes. Your hard work and dedication will be rewarded!

To all of our supporters—without you, we never could have come this far. Thank you for your help in making this year’s event the most successful yet!

Destination: Philly

2009-05-12T17:16:00.000-04:00

In the words of The New York Times, “Philadelphia’s evolution from day trip to destination city is such that you can spend a long weekend there without visiting any 18th-century sites and not even miss them.”

Don’t get me wrong—the historic attractions are fantastic. But Philly has much more to offer, including food, art and music-related attractions. And since you’re already going to be in Philly for Yoga Unites® for Living Beyond Breast Cancer, why not make it a weekend getaway?

Don’t know what to visit in the city? No problem! Here are some sights you’re bound to enjoy:

Philadelphia Museum of Art

You’re going to see the outside of the museum at Sunday’s event, so be sure to wander inside it during the weekend! Check out the Cezanne and Beyond exhibit which runs until May 31. The exhibit features 40 paintings, watercolors and drawings by Paul Cezanne displayed along with works by artists for whom Cezanne has been an inspiration, such as Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse. Visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s Web site for more information.

Galileo, the Medici and the Age of Astronomy

The Franklin Institute is celebrating the 400th anniversary of Galileo’s astronomical discoveries and the International Year of Astronomy with a special exhibit that explores the impact of Galileo’s work on science and the world. The exhibit will run until September 7, so be sure to get your tickets now! For more information, visit the Franklin Institute’s Web site. And while you’re at the Franklin Institute, see Star Trek the way it was meant to be seen: in the IMAX theater.

Sorrento Cheese 9th Street Italian Market Festival

Enjoy a weekend of authentic Italian-American culture in South Philadelphia! The street will be lined with stands offering fresh sausage, peppers, cheeses, meats and assorted pastries. Musicians will roam the crowds, and top chefs will show off their skills at live cooking demonstrations. Just be sure to bring your appetite!

Want more ideas? Visit gophila.com for more information and to start planning your stay.

If you want to get involved in Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer, visit our Web site at yoga4livingbeyondbreastcancer.org or check us out on Facebook.

Thanks for your support, and we’ll see you on the steps!

Yoga Class Memorializes Rachel Levin Troxell

2009-05-04T11:41:00.000-04:00

Just 21 days before her death, Rachel Levin Troxell, founder of LympheDIVAs, wrote in her blog, “just because I'm scared doesn’t mean I don’t have hope.” She was preparing for her final round of chemo and knew her life was on the line. Rachel’s words, which were actually given to her by her father, deliver such an important message. We often believe that to be courageous, we can’t be scared, and that to feel optimism, we must not admit fear. However, life is seldom that black and white, and even less so when you’re fighting for your life.

Like many of the women who receive support from Living Beyond Breast Cancer, Rachel developed an arsenal of weapons in her fight against breast cancer. One of her tools was yoga, which helped her manage the lymphedema she developed after breast cancer surgery. Another was her company, LympheDIVAs, which she founded with another breast cancer survivor, Robin Miller. Both women suffered from lymphedema, swelling caused by a build-up of lymph fluid in body tissue. Their doctors and therapists recommended they wear a compression sleeve to control the swelling, but the only sleeves available at the time were rough in texture and bandage-like in appearance. Both women were upset and frustrated by the lack of options in sleeves, and they decided to do something about it. Together they met with fashion designer Kristin Dudley to discuss their ideas for a more elegant and comfortable compression sleeve. The result was an array of colorful and artistic sleeves unlike anything seen before.

Rachel died January 22, 2008, at the age of 37. Rachel’s life is honored at 6:00 p.m. on the first Friday of each month at a memorial yoga class to benefit Living Beyond Breast Cancer at LifeSport Fitness in the Fairmount section of Philadelphia (2112 Fairmount Avenue, across from Eastern State Penitentiary). The class is open to the community, and a $5 minimum entrance donation is requested.

To learn more about LympheDIVAs, visit lymphedivas.com. To view Rachel’s blog, visit http://rachellevin.blogspot.com/. To contact LifeSport Fitness, visit http://www.lifesportfitness.com/.

Fundraising Incentives

2009-04-29T16:38:00.001-04:00

When I think about my fundraising experience, I realize I always do my best when incentives are involved. Incentives give me extra motivation and something to work towards. With only three weeks left until Yoga Unites® for Living Beyond Breast Cancer, LBBC has come up with our own incentives so fundraisers can raise money for LBBC and get cool stuff!

Even though your registration fee covers the logistics of the event, we still need your help to reach our goal of raising $100K for this event. You can help us by joining a fundraising team, starting your own team or registering as an individual. Then you can start raising money and get the chance to win a number of fabulous prizes.

Incentives vary with the amount of money you raise. For example, if you raise $50, you’ll get a Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer T-shirt. If you raise $100, you’ll get the T-shirt and Jennifer Schelter’s Am Awake CD and DVD. If you raise $250, you’ll get all of these prizes and a watch from White House Black Market. Our top fundraisers will have a chance to win gear, gift certificates and more! The more you raise, the more you get in return. Think of the incentives as our gift to you, the fundraiser. Without you, meeting our goal would be impossible!

For a full list of fundraising incentives, go to yoga4livingbeyondbreastcancer.org, click on “Fundraising” and then pick “Incentives” from the drop-down menu. To join an existing team or start your own, email yoga@lbbc.org.

Upcoming FUNdraisers

2009-04-24T13:20:00.000-04:00

One of the things I’ve learned as a community activist is that each person likes to give in his or her own way. Some get great joy by writing a check; others need to pitch in and get their hands dirty to feel like they’re a part of something. This understanding has given me greater appreciation of the flexibility (no pun intended) Yoga Unites® for Living Beyond Breast Cancer offers its fundraising teams and partners. Rather than set rigid fundraising guidelines or limits, Living Beyond Breast Cancer asks supporters to use their creativity to find ways that feel comfortable to them to help the organization. Today, I’d like to highlight three upcoming fundraising events you may wish to attend.

On April 25, at 12:00 p.m., Stillpoint Yoga in King of Prussia will host a special, slow flow yoga class to benefit Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer. This class is free and open to the public, but a donation is requested. For more information, please visit http://www.stillpointyogastudios.com/2009workshops.html.

On Sunday, April 26, one of Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer’s most passionate cheerleaders, instructor Beatrice Marx, will host an inspirational yoga class at 11:00 a.m. at the Pilates Core Center Studio in Medford. Guests are welcome and a donation is requested. If you don’t know Bea, read about her amazing journey through breast cancer with the help of yoga in our previous blog. For directions, visit http://www.pilatescorecenter.com/index.php/contact-us.

The entire weekend of May 1 - May 3 is Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer Weekend at all three Cornerstone Health & Fitness locations at The TreeHouse, New Hope and Doylestown. On Saturday, May 2, at 10:45 a.m., The TreeHouse will host a special LBBC-themed Vinyasa class. Doylestown will host an LBBC-themed Anasura class that same day at 9:45 a.m. Non-members are invited to participate in any yoga class from Friday evening through Sunday for free, but a donation to Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer is requested. Members are also asked to make a donation to Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer when attending yoga classes that weekend. For more information, visit www.cornerstonehealthandfitness.com/.

Get Creative

2009-04-22T14:05:00.000-04:00

“Fundraising is the gentle art of teaching the joy of giving.”
-Hank Rosso

This year, LBBC is not just hosting the 7th Annual Yoga Unites® for Living Beyond Breast Cancer; we are also getting involved on another level by starting our own fundraising team in honor of our Helpline volunteers. While the team began with only one member, it has now grown to 21 members. It gets even better: LBBC’s fundraising team has currently raised $5,378.00, exceeding our goal of $5,000!

You may be wondering how we’ve achieved this goal; the answer is through dedication and lots of hard work. Each team member has come up with a fundraising strategy. Some are raising funds in honor or memory of a loved one affected by breast cancer. Others are reaching out to local business owners or enlisting the help of yoga studios or fitness centers to hold special, donation-based classes. Many are using Facebook to help them raise funds by posting status updates about how much they’ve raised so far and by providing a link to their personal donation page. You’d be surprised at the incredible impact of social networking!

Make sure to let people know they can make a secure donation online through your personal fundraising page. Don’t be intimidated by the thought of setting up your own page—it’s really simple, and it will help you send personalized emails to your friends and family asking for a donation. People can either donate directly on your page, or they can print out a form and mail it in with a check or credit card number. Fundraising has never been so easy!

The bottom line is that each team member is raising money in his or her own way. There’s no specific way to raise funds, and that’s the nature of this collective event. While fundraising can seem like a daunting task, there are plenty of ways to go about it. Think creatively. Ask for help. Despite the economy, people are willing to do what they can. Ask them for small amounts, like $5 or $10. You’ll be surprised how much that amounts to! And the most important piece of advice is to do what works for you.

For fundraising ideas or to get involved, visit our Web site at http://yoga4livingbeyondbreastcancer.org/flash.html or email yoga@lbbc.org. And when you do come up with creative fundraising ideas, let us know by posting it to our Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=21121710246&ref=ts. We’d love to hear them!

Going Green

2009-04-16T17:00:00.000-04:00

If you’re like me, you probably have several old cell phones lying around the house. It’s easy to forget about your discarded phones once you get that new Blackberry Storm or iPhone. And you’re not alone. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 150 million cellular phones nationwide go out of use annually. That’s an estimated 65,000 tons of electronic garbage. But don’t feel guilty. There’s a way to recycle your used cell phones and raise money for Yoga Unites® for Living Beyond Breast Cancer!

RYAH Yoga and Health is hosting a cell phone drive to raise money for Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer. You don’t have to buy or sell anything to get involved. All you have to do is donate your used cell phones. Easy enough, right? And for every cell phone donated, you will be entered for a chance to win a free massage. I’m sure we all could use one!

From now until May 18, simply mail to or drop off your cell phones at the following location:

RYAH Yoga and Health
424 E. Elm Street
Conshohocken, PA 19428

Or you can stop by RYAH Yoga’s booth at Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer on Sunday, May 17. When donating your cell phones, please do not include any accessories, chargers, ear pieces or manuals, since they can be recycled locally. If you have any questions about the cell phone drive, please contact Maura at (610) 834-1551.

LBBC encourages all fundraising teams to come up with unique ideas like RYAH Yoga. If you have a unique fundraising idea or simply want to get involved in Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer, visit our Web site at yoga4livingbeyondbreastcancer.org or find us on Facebook. You can also email Lauren@lbbc.org.

In the spirit of unique fundraising ideas, check back next week to see what LBBC’s own fundraising team has been up to!

Yoga Mala at JAI!

2009-04-09T13:08:00.000-04:00

Jai (Sanskrit): 1. An exclamation of wonderment, admiration and deep respect, comparable to the English words, "wow," and "awesome." 2. How we feel about the hard work of all of our fundraising teams for Yoga Unites® 4 Living Beyond Breast Cancer. 3. A yoga studio in Narberth that is holding a Yoga Unites 4 Living Beyond Breast Cancer fundraiser on April 16.

Yoga Mala: 1. 108 Sun Salutations. 2. A gathering of spirit, energy, joy and healing through the ritual of 108 Sun Salutation, 108 being a sacred number in Hinduism and yoga. Some believe 108's significance comes from the tradition in which "malas" or garlands of prayer beads come as a string of 108 beads, plus one "guru bead" around which the other 108 turn like the planets around the sun. The average distance of the Sun and the Moon to Earth is 108 time their respective diameters. According to yogic tradition, there are 108 sacred sites throughout India, and 108 sacred places on the body.

It is with great Jai that we invite you to join us for a Yoga Mala at JAI! Yoga Lifestyle and Massage on Thursday, April 16 at 7:30 p.m. to benefit Yoga Unites 4 Living Beyond Breast Cancer. Live music by Yvette Pecoaro -- the talented musician who donates her sounds to Yoga Unites 4 Living Beyond Breast Cancer each year -- will provide a lovely backdrop to this spirited fundraiser. There is no fee, but donations are requested. JAI! Yoga is located at 727 Montgomery Avenue in Narberth. For more information, visit jaiyoga.net or call (610) 664-YOGA.

In Honor or Memory

2009-04-03T11:59:00.000-04:00

"Remembering is an act of resurrection, each repetition a vital layer of mourning, in memory of those we are sure to meet again."
~Nancy Cobb, in "In Lieu of Flowers"

If you’re looking for another way to get involved in Yoga Unites® for Living Beyond Breast Cancer, look no further. How about donating or starting a fundraising team in honor or memory of someone? It could be a family member, a friend or a member of your community. Once you donate to a team or individual, your donation will be displayed on their fundraising page for all who visit the page to see. What a way to recognize those you care about!

Several people, including a group of LBBC staff members, have started fundraising teams in honor or memory of loved ones. For example, LBBC has formed a fundraising team in honor of our Helpline volunteers. And in turn, our team has received donations in honor or memory of other loved ones. Remember my last blog entry about the circle of giving and living? You get the idea.

Whether you’re making a donation in honor or memory of an individual, or just making a donation, we are thankful for your support. Every donation, no matter how small, helps us get one step closer to our goal of raising $100,000 for education and support programs for women affected by breast cancer. For more information on making a donation, or for other ways to get involved, please visit our Web site. You can also email Lauren@lbbc.org or check us out on Facebook!

Living in the Moment

2009-03-26T16:48:00.000-04:00

"Learn to be genuine in every moment of your life."
--Chogyan Trungpa

This quote reminds me of a common saying: “Live in the moment.” But what does that really mean? And what does it mean to be genuine and live in the moment?

For me, it means giving my time and effort to support others. For many of the women who attended Living Beyond Breast Cancer and the Young Survival Coalition’s 9th Annual Conference for Young Women Affected by Breast Cancer, it means appreciating each day. For others, it means focusing on relationships. And for most, it means getting involved in a cause that’s important to them.

Judging from the increase in fundraising teams (3 new teams in the past 4 days), it seems like many are choosing Yoga Unites® for Living Beyond Breast Cancer (YU4LBBC) as their way of living in the moment. The effort our teams have put into raising funds and awareness is a great example of being genuine by supporting others. And through raising funds and getting the word out, our teams are helping hundreds--whether diagnosed with breast cancer or not--improve their quality of life through the healing effects of yoga. Rather than thinking of it as a circle of giving, think of it as a circle of living.

We hope you’ll consider living in the moment with us on Sunday, May 17. What better way to do that than by watching the sunrise while performing yoga on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art? You can get more information on YU4LBBC a number of different ways. Check us out on Facebook (we’re up to almost 400 members!) and at our newly-launched Web site. You can also follow us on Twitter at YU4LBBC. And if you want to create your own YU4LBBC team, contact Lauren Ainsworth at Lauren@lbbc.org.

That’s all for this week. Remember to share your stories with us by posting a comment here or by joining our discussions on Facebook. And get your friends involved! It’s always more fun to live in the moment with others right beside you.

Beatrice Marx: Profile of a Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer Participant

2009-03-23T15:49:00.001-04:00

Beatrice Marx was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003. In 2007, her cancer recurred, having spread to her liver, lungs and spine. When Beatrice was first diagnosed, her physician recommended she try yoga.
Beatrice not only tried yoga, but also became so engaged by it that she got certified to teach, shortly before her recurrence was diagnosed. Beatrice credits yoga with her ability to maintain her equilbrium as she continues to face uncertainty, anxiety, pain and the need to stay calm and still for exhaustive testing.
Last year, Beatrice assisted Jennifer Schelter as an instructor at Yoga Unites® for Living Beyond Breast Cancer (YU4LBBC). She also created her own team for the event, The Wellness Warriors. Beatrice's Warriors are all women who have suffered different illnesses.
This year, Beatrice is continuing to support YU4LBBC. As she explained in a recent letter to other yoga teachers, "after my recurrence, I turned my attention to healing myself and also to continue to give to others. I started with the 2008 Living Beyond Breast Cancer Yoga Unites event ..."
You can join Beatrice on Friday, April 3, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. for a fundraising event for YU4LBBC at The Yoga Center of Medford. East will meet West through drumming, singing and chanting facilitated by Justin Marx and Gary Palisch. The event is free, but donations for this organization will be gratefully accepted. For more information or directions, visit http://www.yogacenterofmedford.com/.

Yoga and Breast Cancer

2009-03-18T14:38:00.000-04:00

Earlier this week, I promised to write about yoga and breast cancer. You may have wondered why Living Beyond Breast Cancer chooses a yoga practice rather than the traditional walk or run to support our cause. Increasingly, research is correlating the practice of yoga to overall well-being in women being treated for breast cancer. Our mission is different from many other breast cancer organizations. We exist solely to help women from the moment of treatment forward to live their best life possible. We believe that for many women, yoga can be one of the many tools they employ during breast cancer treatment and beyond. In addition, by making our fundraiser an inclusive yoga practice, we open it up to everyone.

The newest piece of research about yoga and breast cancer came out late last month, when researchers from Wake Forest University School of Medicine reported that yoga can improve the emotional health of women affected by breast cancer. The report published in Psycho-Oncology supports findings by Albert Einstein College of Medicine and The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, as well as two studies published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. All of the studies point to a link between the practice of yoga and increased quality of life and feelings of wellness during breast cancer treatment. For example, the researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center found that women who practiced yoga during the period in which they were receiving radiation therapy experienced increased physical functioning, better general health, improved social functioning, lower levels of sleep-related problems and lower levels of overall fatigue. The Wake Forest study found that after 10 weeks of restorative yoga -- a variation on gentle yoga -- participants reported less fatigue, a 50 percent decrease in depression and a 12 percent increase in feelings of peace and meaning.

These studies simply support what many women have experienced in their own lives. On your next visit to our blog, learn about Beatrice Marx, who began practicing yoga after her initial breast cancer diagnosis and is now a teacher, mentor and one of our strongest fundraisers, despite a more recent metastatic, or stage IV, breast cancer diagnosis. We want to hear your stories about breast cancer and yoga. Please post them here or on Facebook.

Anyone Can Do Yoga!

2009-03-16T15:39:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday! We're so excited that our new Yoga Unites® for Living Beyond Breast Cancer Web site debuts today. Check it out!

The last two weeks have brought an influx of registrations for May 17. I think it may be the warm weather, but no matter what it is, keep 'em coming.

Still, a lot of our supporters are reluctant to register for May 17 because they've never tried yoga. If that describes you, please reconsider. This event is intended for people of all fitness levels and all ages. You can't participate without feeling the warmth and support of the entire group, making it the perfect place to try yoga for the first time. Besides, with 500 people all practicing together, it would be hard to stand out in the crowd.

Later this week, I'll be writing about some new research linking yoga to increased quality of life and feelings of calm in women undergoing treatment for breast cancer. The connection between yoga and quality of life relates directly to our mission of helping women from the time of diagnosis to live their best life possible. If you have a story to tell about yoga during your own treatment, please post it here or on our Facebook group.

The word of the day is Namaste, which is derived from Sanskrit. Commonly used at the end of a yoga class, Namaste loosely translates to "the light in me honors the light in you." Namaste, YU4LBBC supporters.

Help Us Meet Our Goals: Start a Team

2009-03-11T14:21:00.000-04:00

As of today, Yoga Unites® for Living Beyond Breast Cancer (YU4LBBC) is just two months away. The economic downturn has impacted our fundraising, which makes meeting our goals for YU4LBBC more important than ever so that we can continue to help women diagnosed with breast cancer live their best life. We realize it's harder for people to give this year, so we're encouraging more people to give just a little (not that we'd turn it away if you want to give a lot!) through our team fundraising program.

This year, we're asking everyone who registers to consider starting a fundraising team for YU4LBBC. Teams can be created in honor or in memory of a special person, or can just be a group of friends who want to participate in YU4LBBC. Each year, we have several 13-year olds who create teams as part of their B'nai Mitzvah celebration. You certainly don't need to be an experienced yogi to create a team or participate in YU4LBBC.

Each team is as unique as its captain; the only thing they have in common is the goal of raising money for Living Beyond Breast Cancer. Some teams ask people to sponsor their participation in YU4LBBC. Others hold off-site events, like fashion shows or dinner parties to raise money. Last week, one team held an East Meets West Drumming Circle.

This year, team captains will find support and ideas through the discussion board on our new Facebook group; on Twitter by following YU4LBBC; and through this blog. Please consider creating your own YU4LBBC team by contacting Lauren Ainsworth at lauren@lbbc.org.

Welcome to Our Blog

2009-03-05T11:03:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the Yoga Unites 4 Living Beyond Breast Cancer blog. With less than three months until the big event on May 17th, we're entering the heavy sign up period for teams. We just had a new team sign up this week, led by Cece Charendoff, a 12-year old student who is making Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer(YU4LBBC) her Bat Mitzvah project. Her goal is to raise $1800 for the event, which is the day after her Bat Mitzvah. We can't wait to see Cece and her friends up bright and early after her big day. It's a shame they're too young for coffee.

There are a lot of exciting changes going on this year with YU4LBBC. This blog is one of them. You'll be able to find out exactly what's going on right here, with inside information about fund-raising efforts, events and participation. You can follow us on Twitter at YU4LBBC. We're also on Facebook, where you can join in discussions about your team and fund-raising, and share your stories about your journey through breast cancer and your experience with yoga. Please join our Facebook group -- we already have close to 300 members. Get your friends to join and let's see how quickly we can top 1000.