Impact & Giveback

Bras Bras Cause Cause FOR A

BY LIESEL SCHMIDT

With all their charms and all their headaches, bras have long been the object of a love/hate relationship for women—though, as women, we consider them inextricably tied to our sense of femininity, symbols of our womanhood. So when that part of us is lost to breast cancer, we feel somehow less feminine, less womanly. It is in the hope that no woman facing this illness, or recovering from it, will ever feel alone in their experience or their fight that organizations like Bras for a Cause Gulf Coast were created. “We want individuals to be able to focus on getting better and fighting this disease and not have the burden and stress of worrying about how they are going to pay for gas to get to treatment or how they will pay their mortgage or rent after having to take so much time off from work,” explains marketing coordinator Michelle Murill. “Supporting one another in times of need is one of the things that makes our Gulf Coast community a beautiful place to live, and Bras for a Cause Gulf Coast is proud to be a part of such an amazing area where so many people are honored to help their neighbor. These organizations bring people together, raise people up and improve the quality of life, not only for the patient, but for the sponsors and volunteers whose lives they touch, as well. We can face this together.”

With their tagline of “Together, we can make a difference,” Bras for a Cause Gulf Coast does, indeed come together, holding an annual gala where all that togetherness results in some very big benefits for the organization’s mission. “Since our very first gala in 2014, Bras for a Cause Gulf Coast has raised over $205,000 to benefit local cancer patients. Our last event was sold out and featured over 77 sponsors and more than 30 volunteers and five board members,” Murill notes, explaining that the organization has shifted its focus from strictly breast cancer to cancer of all types. “The funds we raise help local cancer patients who are either going through treatment or are survivors in need of assistance with their everyday living expenses because of the toll and financial burden associated with treatment.”

What happens at this event—and where the organization gets its name—is the very thing that makes it unique. “We auction off bras, and the bras that are auctioned off are made by local volunteers and artists,” says Murill. “They’re incredible—usually very elaborate and many have a theme, which makes it all the more fun. A lot of the higher-level sponsors will make bras, as well, and have their own model. They’ll even theme the bras after something to do with their business. For example, Southern View Media will make a bra that has seahorses and pelicans, and an accountant might make a bra with money or dollar signs incorporated into the design. The bras are actual works of art that people spend hours creating and designing, so there is a lot of effort and care that goes into everything.”

This year’s event takes place on October 26, 2022, at The Locale in Mobile. Doors for VIP guests open at 5:00 pm, and all other guests are welcomed into the dinner at 6:00 pm. The VIP cocktail hour from 5:00 pm until 6:00 pm is exclusive to sponsors and will feature live entertainment from Simone French. The live bra auction will begin at 7:00 pm and will feature local businessmen modeling outrageously decorated bras that are auctioned off to the highest bidder. “The proceeds from the gala are used to help local women and men battling cancer with out-of-pocket expenses that aren’t covered by insurance such as co-pays, gas cards for transportation to and from treatment, mortgage payments, utilities and prescriptions,” says chairperson Tonyea Weber. “It’s important to note that no proceeds raised go towards research—the money we raise is strictly for individuals and their needs.”

However, applicants cannot apply directly to Bras for a Cause Gulf Coast. Eligible patients may receive funding through their grant program by having their patient liaison from their treatment facility apply for a grant. When applications are received, the organization’s grant oversight committee reviews the application and presents their recommendation of fund distribution to the Bras for a Cause Gulf Coast board. Also, in conjunction with the grant program, Bras for a Cause Gulf Coast partners with other local non-profit medical facilities to help with uninsured and underserved communities.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON BRAS FOR A CAUSE GULF COAST, VISIT BRASFORACAUSEGULFCOAST.ORG.

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