From Jewelry Collections to Runway Shows, Cancer Culture Turns Breast Cancer Awareness into Action, Raising More Than $600,000 For Metastatic Breast Cancer Research in the Last Year
By Lauren Bens
As the nation recognizes Breast Cancer Awareness Month and marked Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day on October 13th, Cancer Culture is delivering a powerful message: Awareness matters, but research is what will change the future of breast cancer.
The patient-led nonprofit has already raised more than $600,000 in the last year for metastatic breast cancer research, including $200,000 through its seventh annual New York Fashion Week Runway Experience. What makes Cancer Culture’s fundraising model especially meaningful is its commitment to directing 100% of donations to research, with no portion deducted for the organization’s operating expenses.
Founded by breast cancer advocates Beth Love and Rachel Burns, Cancer Culture is using the national spotlight of Breast Cancer Awareness Month to move the conversation beyond pink ribbons and awareness campaigns and toward what patients living with metastatic breast cancer urgently need: increased research funding, better treatments and ultimately cures.
“October brings tremendous attention to breast cancer, but for those like me, living with metastatic disease, awareness alone is not enough,” said Beth Love, Co-Founder of Cancer Culture. “We are all aware that breast cancer exists, now we need to learn about the realities of the disease and turn that attention into action and meaningful funding for research. I am incredibly proud that 100% of donations to Cancer Culture go directly toward metastatic breast cancer research. Every dollar represents an opportunity to advance science, improve treatment options and bring us closer to a future where metastatic breast cancer is no longer a terminal diagnosis.”
WEARING THE MISSION: SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION SHANELI JEWELRY COLLECTION TO BENEFIT CANCER CULTURE
Continuing the connection between fashion, advocacy and philanthropy, Cancer Culture is introducing a special limited edition ‘Strength in Every Shade’ Shaneli jewelry, handcrafted for the metastatic breast cancer community offering during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This provides another opportunity for supporters to contribute to the organization’s research mission.
The jewelry line will feature diamonds in pink, along with additional colors reflected in the Cancer Culture logo, including teal, purple and green. The designs will serve as wearable symbols of hope, strength, solidarity and the diverse community affected by cancer. There is a signature ribbon necklace with pink stones, black diamonds and diamond floral rings in the multiple colors.
Proceeds from the special jewelry sale will benefit Cancer Culture and support its continued funding of metastatic breast cancer research.
The collaboration reinforces Cancer Culture’s belief that fashion and personal expression can be powerful vehicles for advocacy, creating opportunities to raise both visibility and critical research dollars.
To view and purchase the Shaneli jewelry collection: https://shaneli.com/collections/cancer-culture
A PERSONAL MISSION DRIVEN BY SURVIVORS AND PATIENT ADVOCATES
For Cancer Culture’s co-founders, the mission is deeply personal.
Love was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer, while Burns was completing treatment for Stage III breast cancer when the two met in 2014. Their friendship and shared commitment to advocacy eventually led to the founding of Cancer Culture in 2022, creating an organization determined to amplify patient voices while directing critical dollars toward research.
“As a breast cancer survivor, I know firsthand how a diagnosis changes your life and the lives of everyone around you,” said Rachel Burns, Co-Founder of Cancer Culture and breast cancer survivor. “As an early-stage survivor, I know that 1 in 3 of us will recur at some point in our lifetime as a metastatic. Through the years I have watched far too many people pass away from metastatic breast cancer-leaving family, friends and community behind. That is why this work is so personal to me. We want to send a different awareness message this October-that if we cure metastatic breast cancer, we have cured breast cancer. We want people to understand that if we find and fund lifesaving research that leads to cures-this disease will become chronic rather than terminal. Then, no patient will ever have to worry about dying from this disease again. That is why we stand behind finding curative intent metastatic breast cancer research. Every dollar of every donation we receive is a step toward changing what a breast cancer diagnosis means for all patients and future generations.”
FROM THE RUNWAY TO RESEARCH: FASHION WITH A PURPOSE
Cancer Culture has found a powerful and highly visible way to advance its mission: fashion.
During New York Fashion Week, the organization transformed the traditional runway into a platform for breast cancer patients, survivors and advocates, demonstrating that fashion can be much more than a celebration of style.
Its seventh annual Runway Experience, held at Thompson Central Park in New York City, featured an all-breast-cancer patient model cast, including individuals living with metastatic breast cancer, early-stage survivors and previvors.
The event raised $200,000 for curative-intent metastatic breast cancer research, while giving participants an opportunity to be celebrated for their strength, individuality, confidence and personal stories.
The runway brought together patients, advocates and members of the breast cancer community, including fashion model Jocelyn Binder. Featured designers included Dressed in LALA, AnaOno, Kate Hewko, Madison Chamberlain, Cosmic Collective and ADG Boston, with Dolce Vita serving as Premier Shoe Partner.
But beyond the fashion, the event delivered something far more important: meaningful funding for research that has the potential to change lives.
“I took the first steps on this runway in 2017, but this was never about one patient,” added Love. “It was about creating a stage for everyone who deserves to be seen and heard, while fighting for every dollar we can raise for metastatic breast cancer research. The runway gives us a platform. Research gives us hope for changing the future.”
OCTOBER 13: WHY METASTATIC BREAST CANCER AWARENESS DAY MATTERS
While October has become synonymous with breast cancer awareness, October 13, Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day, provides an important opportunity to focus specifically on people living with Stage IV breast cancer.
Metastatic breast cancer occurs when cancer spreads beyond the breast to other parts of the body. Although treatment advances have helped many patients live longer, metastatic breast cancer remains incurable, making continued research essential.
For Cancer Culture, October 13 is a reminder that the breast cancer conversation must include those living with advanced disease and the urgent need for research focused on extending lives, improving treatments and pursuing curative approaches.
The organization is encouraging consumers, businesses and supporters throughout Breast Cancer Awareness Month to go beyond awareness by supporting research, amplifying patient stories and helping fund the scientific advances that patients and their families are counting on.
Cancer Culture’s message this October is simple:
Awareness gets attention. Research creates change…
ABOUT CANCER CULTURE
Cancer Culture is a patient-led nonprofit and multimedia movement dedicated to changing the conversation around breast cancer through storytelling, advocacy, fashion and direct funding of metastatic breast cancer research.
Born from heartbreak, fueled by love and built on the belief that patients deserve better, Cancer Culture carries forward the legacy of Champagne Joy, a fearless metastatic breast cancer advocate who demanded that patients be seen, heard and supported through meaningful research funding.
Co-founders Beth Love and Rachel Burns met in 2014 while navigating their own breast cancer journeys. Following years of shared advocacy and the loss of friends to metastatic breast cancer, they founded Cancer Culture in 2022 to transform grief into action and help accelerate research toward cures.
Cancer Culture is committed to directing 100% of donations to metastatic breast cancer research, with no portion deducted for organizational operating expenses.
To learn more about Cancer Culture or support its research mission, visit www.cancerculture.org
