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.

Inside Yoga Unites for Living Beyond Breast Cancer

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.