The Center for Restorative Breast Surgery Cancer Survivor Runway Show and Celebration
Thursday, October 22 Castine Center, Mandeville For ticket information, go to younightevents.com.
PRESENTED BY The Crescent River Port Pilots’ Foundation and The Center for Women’s Health
mission as well. In 2013, knowing that we have access to thousands of women worldwide, we knew we had a privilege and opportunity as entrepreneurs to bless others who needed “emotional lifting up.” I approached my business partner, Susan Bopp, and asked her what she thought about the idea of Ooh La Bra sponsoring a runway training program for cancer patients. Like me, Susan has a passion to empower our community through uplifting, collaborative and inspiring experiences. But for her, the task of handling a cancer program was something she was emotionally struggling with. She had been diagnosed with breast cancer eight years earlier, and cancer was a miserable time in her life. She says the disease robbed her of her vitality and affected her self-esteem. Reluctantly, but filled with compassion and grace, Susan agreed to help launch our first “You
Cancer survivor Stephanie Ferrante draws strength from the many people who helped her fight. (left to right): Carrie Marquette, MD; Katherine Williams, MD; Kelly Brewster, WHNP, nurse practioner; Jane Freudenberger, LCSW, OSW-C. 70
MY 13-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER looked up at me with worried eyes and said, “Mom, you’re not going to get that head cancer, are you?” We were on our way to a launch party where 24 cancer survivors in St. Tammany Parish would be meeting for the first time to start their journey with You Night Empowering Events. “What head cancer, sweetheart?” I asked her. “The one that makes you lose all your hair,” she said. That was my daughter’s first attempt to grasp the subject of cancer. I wanted her to go with me because for several months she had been hearing stories about the women who were in the You Night program, and I could tell that she was fearful. I knew that if she continued viewing cancer from a distance, she would be missing out on learning valuable information that every woman should know. I also knew she would miss out on seeing the many victories that the women were celebrating. As she watched the runway training, I could
Inside Northside
see that her attitude about cancer survivors began to shift. She didn’t come into a room that “felt sick.” She saw women—some bald, some without eyelashes— smiling, laughing and being courageous as they were facing their fear of learning to walk the runway. She came away with a new understanding, hugging me and saying, “Mom, I’m so proud of all of you. You are doing a beautiful thing.” The “beautiful thing” she was referring to is the program we founded called “You Night Empowering Events,” a unique survivorship program designed to help women embrace life after cancer. Professional coaches provide fun and empowering runway, pose and print training designed to help women build self-esteem while developing lifelong friendships with other cancer survivors. As a daughter of a breast cancer survivor, I lived through the painful moments of watching my mom’s
physical appearance change. It was very difficult for me to see her bald, and because she could not afford proper reconstruction, I grew up with a mom whose breasts were distorted because of poor reconstructive surgery. As much as I wanted to accept my mom’s new physical appearance, it was hard for me to see her in clothing that looked awkward. Because of immaturity and my own fears, I was embarrassed when my mom would show up at functions braless, with lopsided breasts. But my mom handled cancer and her body image in such a positive way that the subject of death or the idea of “disfigurement” was never something she instilled in me. Although it has taken me several years to appreciate her attitude, I am grateful that she taught me that we should love our bodies exactly as we are—something ALL women should be so lucky to do. I own a company called Ooh La Bra, known for beautiful bra straps designed to be seen. The company’s tagline, “We Lift You Up,” not only refers to the functionality of the product; it’s our heart’s photos: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com
by Lisa McKenzie
photo: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com
You Night
When you empower one, you impact many.
Night” in 2013. It didn’t go unnoticed for Susan that facing her past was something that perhaps God intended her to examine and embrace. We knew we could positively impact our cancer survivor role models, but little did we know at that time how profoundly the program would impact our team. I read recently that the number of cancer diagnoses is on the rise, and that one out of every two people will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. The grim reality of that statistic means that we all either know someone who has cancer or that we are at risk of having cancer. We believe that is the reason that You Night strikes a chord with the many people who unite with us to support the cause of survivorship. >>
Above: Deborah St. Germain with her daughter, Kirstie, who encouraged her mom to participate in You Night so the family could heal, too. Right: Melanie Rogers, You Night St. Tammany Class of 2013. Diagnosed with breast cancer at age 22.
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St. Tammany Class of 2015 role model Elise Angelette pictured with her family, who wrote us with the words they use to describe her. (left to right) Naomi, age 4; Sophia, age 9; Jude, age 7; husband Jason; Nora, 19 mos.; and Bella, age 11. 72
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You Night Empowering Events is a program that provides women opportunities to fully embrace life after a cancer diagnosis. Participants engage in fun and empowering activities that help them discover their strength and beauty. Classes work together learning runway, pose and print skills that are celebrated and showcased at the program’s main event—the You Night Runway
photos: CHELSEA MOHR, WHITE DONUT PRODUCTIONS
Show and Celebration. To learn more or share your empowering story, visit younightevents.com.
Kathy Piazza had 50
guests in attendance to ce lebrate her victory over ca ncer.
She is pictured he re
with her You Night sister, Ga ynell Lollis.
Tammy Broussard steps boldly on stage, showing that women don’t have to hide behind a cancer diagnosis.
looking like this?’” With gentle love and coaxing, the participants who sign up are pleasantly surprised when they discover how much they need a program like You Night. Not only does it encourage them to reach deep within themselves to answer the question, “How do I want to live my life?” but it also shows them that positive transformation is possible. Tammy Radecker says that You Night is an example of the cancer journey itself. “When you have cancer, you learn to look at life differently. You celebrate even the smallest of victories, like when even one eyelash grows back. When you step on the stage in front of 600 cheering guests doing what once seemed impossible, you can’t imagine how freeing it is.” There are many reasons why our participants sign up for You Night. Jane Martin told us she signed up because in addition to tackling shyness issues, she needed a positive “vision board” to help her reach her physical goals. “I gained a considerable amount of weight because of my chemo treatments and had lost a true sense of my ‘self,’” she says. “The You Night get-togethers and training practices gave me something positive to look forward to, giving me a great excuse to get my body back in shape.”
While we joke with our participants that You Night is not a weightloss program, one of our observations is that the participants do start looking and feeling better. At one of our most recent events, the models were chatting in the dressing room before the show and discovered that over the course of their six-month training, collectively they had lost 188 pounds. Models are showered with products and services donated by salons and boutiques. The You Night experience let Yvonne Strecker feel feminine again. She says, “I forgot what it was like to feel beautiful. The salons, boutiques and make-up artists helped me get past my insecurities.” JoAnn Fandal says that You Night made her realize how precious life is. “When you are surrounded by so many amazing women, and you get to listen to their stories and see how beautiful and strong they are, how they pass that strength on >>
photo: DYLAN MARAS, WHITE DONUT PRODUCTIONS
You Night
“Nothing ever prepares you to hear the word cancer,” says You Night 2013 participant Melinda Breaux. The courage, she says, comes from making a choice about how you are going to handle the news. Melinda says she drew on the strength of a cancer survivor mentor. “She told me to imagine the worst role model that I could think of—someone that is depressed, anxious and worried. She then said, imagine the best role model—a person who continues to live their life with passion, happiness and strength. Surround yourself with those type of individuals.” We have heard our participants and health care providers say time and time again that 90 percent of the battle with cancer is in the attitude. But having the right attitude doesn’t mean that there aren’t going to be many difficult days. Many of the tough days are related to the radical change in a woman’s physical appearance. Dr. Jay Saux, an oncologist, says that one of the most common questions he is asked by a woman recently diagnosed with cancer is not related to her mortality but whether or not she will lose her hair.
Angelle Albright describes the subject of hair loss this way: “When people are diagnosed with just about any other illness, their main focus is on simply how to get healthy. But with cancer, it’s a double whammy, because not only does a woman have to worry about whether or not she is going to survive, but she has to publicly display what she is going through personally. It’s a brutal battle for any woman to have to deal with self-esteem issues in the midst of a serious health crisis. One day, I was just me—and two weeks later, I looked like an alien.” Through her own journey with cancer and the temporary loss of her signature beautiful hair, Angelle and her sister Danielle (both You Night participants and breast cancer survivors), along with their family, went on to create a hair covering for women, Chemo Beanies, to simplify the options and help women feel better about themselves during their treatments. Angelle recalls the story of a friend who never left her house because of her physical changes and the perspective that it was somehow a shameful disease. Today, Angelle says, “Women have access to more information and other inspirational stories through social media, and the image of a cancer patient is certainly changing. Courageous stories of beautiful, inspiring survivors are everywhere. We want women to have the confidence to continue to live meaningful and productive lives where they can more peacefully go out and continue to be soccer moms, business owners and friends to those who care about them.” When it comes to being courageous about walking the runway stage, not every participant steps into our program boldly. When Deborah St. Germain was approached, she thought the idea was ludicrous. As a professional photographer, Deborah has always been comfortable being on the other side of the lens and had never dreamt of seeing herself in the spotlight. After discussing the idea with her family she concluded, “It’s not for me.” But her daughter, Kirstie, said, “Mom, you’re not doing this for you. You’re doing it for us.” Jane Freudenberger, social worker at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center at St. Tammany Parish Hospital, tells us that many patients have similar reactions when they are approached to be in the You Night program. “Women will say, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me! Get on a runway in front of 600 people
You Night St. Tammany 2015 participants meet at the launch party, the start of their journey with our empowering program.
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photo: TRACIE MORRIS SCHAEFER
You Night St. Tammany alums gather together backstage before walking the runway at
photo: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com
the New Orleans event.
Julie Miller learns poses with her classmates from runway coach Celeste Hart, owner of Creating U, Academy for Acting, Modeling and Life Etiquette. Julie said, “You Night ended up being one of the best experiences of my life.”
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to each other, you learn that life does go on and that you don’t have to be defined by cancer.” “When a woman has a poor definition of ‘self,’ it can be debilitating,” says Mary Kathryn Rodrigue, Ph.D., an oncology-certified mental health counselor, who is the founder/co-owner of The Wellness Studio, LLC. “When a woman starts believing that she is no longer ‘worthy’ or ‘valuable,’ it can seriously alter her ability to live the life that that was purposefully created for her journey in this world.” You Night provides a safe place for a woman to come as she is and see that she is NOT alone and that scars, hair loss or reconstruction do not mean that she needs to shrink away. “The paradox of putting women on the runway stage at a time when they are least likely to feel like a supermodel is an incredible source of healing and truly embodies the spirit of empowerment,” says Dr. Rodrigue. When participants discover their strength,
Inside Northside
and learn to embrace their “new” selves, they can positively change the trajectory of their lives. New Orleans participant Lynell Hunter phoned our team the day after the runway show to tearfully and joyfully share the change that happened to her. “I want to thank you for the gift you all have provided to me,” she said. “For five years, I have been too ashamed to look at myself naked in the privacy of my own home because of the scars from my reconstruction. Last night, while we were in the dressing room, I stopped and looked around. The women were getting changed into their evening gowns, and every imaginable body type was there— scars, Spanx and all. It was the first time that I didn’t see myself as a monster. In that moment, in some unexplainable way, the imperfections made me feel extremely powerful and beautiful.” As the program grows, so does the incredible bond shared by the participants. Alums who have participated in previous programs maintain deep friendships. They attend events to reunite with their classmates and to encourage the new participants. They exchange advice, act as cheerleaders and lend a shoulder to cry on when necessary. You Night alum Peggy Lorino describes the sisterhood this way: “What makes You Night unique is that women can come as they are.” Regardless of a woman’s age, size, shape or diagnosis, the bond of the cancer journey becomes a silent language where words aren’t necessary. “You Night gives us the permission to be real. It’s a sisterhood of complete acceptance.” >>
You Night participants Debra Rehage, Tammy Broussard, Lane Perez, Melinda Breaux, Peggy Lorino, Eridania Martinez and Deidra Langridge.
As our program continues to grow and we discover fun and empowering ways to work with our participants, we never will downplay the difficult subject of cancer. In a private thread on Facebook, ladies share personal posts about some of the challenges they are dealing with in their lives. Sisters quickly respond with love and support. Often, we will get this request, “Pray for me. I find out the results of my PET scan today,” soon followed by “Thank the Lord, my doctor said all looks great.” Sisters respond with a huge sigh of relief. 2015 New Orleans participant Kathy Piazza describes the sisterhood experience like this: “We are a group of women, young and old, who have come together because not only do we plan on fighting, but we plan on finishing strong!”
The celebration of each survivor’s journey is shared at the graduation ceremony—the signature event known as “You Night Runway Show and Celebration.” Guests cheer for a solid hour as the models come on stage, surrounded by family members, friends and adoring guests from the community. Dr. Katherine Williams, with the Center for Women’s Health, tells us why her ObGyn practice in St. Tammany supports You Night. “When we have to tell a patient that they have breast cancer, it’s hard for them to imagine that brighter days do lie ahead. You Night helps show others that not only can they get through this, but they can come out of the experience better and stronger.” Dorothy McHaney, a 2013
participant, told us that You Night taught her to wake up everyday and live life to its fullest. “We all face uncertain futures. In one of my darkest hours, I cried out to God and said, ‘I want to live!’ God immediately responded with this message: ‘You are alive! Keep living!’” We love celebrating the lives of the courageous cancer survivors in our community, and we want to hear from you! The loving generosity of our sponsors and many volunteers helps grow our program. If you are interested in more information about the You Night program, or if you know of a survivor who has an inspiring story to tell—please write to us by visiting younightevents.com. Lisa McKenzie is the founder and executive producer of You Night Empowering Events.
photo: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com
photo: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com
Center for Restorative Breast Surgery Runway Show & Celebration
You Night is a six-month program, created to help women embrace life after cancer. Participants in each class attend a variety of empowering events, designed to create friendships, support, and self-discovery. The graduation ceremony—the You Night runway show—is a celebration in front of family and friends. Presently, You Night is held twice a year in St. Tammany (each October) and New Orleans (each spring). The You Night program is possible with the generosity of these legacy partners: Susan Bopp and Lisa McKenzie, Executive Producers of You Night Empowering Events.
You Night Empowering Events is an outreach of Ooh La Bra, a company that designs beautiful bra straps designed to be seen.
represents the heart and soul of everything the company is about. Recognizing the positive role Ooh La Bra can play in the community, business partners Lisa McKenzie
way to unite the community to empower individuals. We believe that when we genuinely feel good about who we are inside and learn to better communicate this, we become a greater force in the world for good.
With gratitude, we thank the
Elaine
Allison
Meg
Gaynell
Erika
Kathy
Kristyn
Patrice
Diane
Tammy
Karen
Ruth
Maria
Eridania Myia
Julie
Stacie Dorothy Amy Yvonne Amy Jane Therese Tammy Wendy JoAnn
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Inside Northside
Carol
Ysonde
Deborah
Cheryl
Debra
Loey
Cheryl
Amanda Donna
March
Karen
Roxie
Louise
Patti
Angelle
Laura
Kim
Laura
Elena
Elizabeth Peggy
Melanie
Lori
Danielle
Cheryl
Jennifer Melinda
Beth
Debbie
photos: CAITLIN BARRY/TRACIE MORRIS SCHAEFER
Lynell
Sheree
Sharon
Delia
Kristal
Gambel Communications Rehab Dynamics Kelly Villars
1250+ Richard Celentano, M.D. and Celeste Lagarde, M.D. First NBC Bank H2O Salon Northshore Byrd Larberg Paretti Family of Dealerships
following individuals for helping us tell the beautiful story of You Night:
Media Partners
Creative Collaboration by the
Inside Northside Inside New Orleans
Eloise Early, You Night Model Liaison;
Stacey
5,000+
and Susan Bopp created You Night as a
Art and Photography of Candra George;
Kama
$10,000+ Lakeside Women’s Specialty Center Florida Marine Transporters Associated Branch Pilots Northshore Plastic Surgery Dr. Benjamin Boudreaux
The company’s tagline, “We Lift You Up,”
All of the courageous models of You Night since its inception.
Robin
$20,000+ Crescent River Port Pilots Foundation Center for Women’s Health Center for Restorative Breast Surgery
Lori Murphy and her team at
2,500+ Art & Stephani Lentini Associated Terminals/Turn Services Crescent Towing/ Cooper T. Smith Mooring Evamor Radiology and Interventional Association of Metairie The Radiologists at East Jefferson General Hospital Chemo Beanies Alice McNeely Lifestyle Real Estate C.J. Landner & State Farm Insurance Michele Cooper, M.D. Ponchartrain Health Care Centre Aflac Insurance The Sculpting Center of New Orleans
Inside New Orleans and Inside Northside; UFC Gym, Mandeville; Gown and accessories
www.younightevents.com • 877-591-5936 • facebook.com/younightevents
by Fleurt Boutique, Covington; Make-up by Marisa Maestri; Elise Angelette’s Family; Children’s clothing styled by the Olive Patch; You Night formal gowns and accessories by Southern Bridal; Make-up by Sarah Early.
Outreach: 100% of the proceeds from the “We Lift You Up” 501(c)3 fund supports You Night’s year round programming and training. Participants are gifted with thousands of dollars worth of products, and services, plus the training and runway experience that our team provides. You Night Empowering Events is a program created and produced by Ooh La Bra. You Night is made possible with the support of hundreds of local businesses and volunteers. To view all partners, visit www.younightevents.com/partners. September-October 2015 77