Yoga: Not Just Poses

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.