The BIG PINK ribbon project on Bliss Radio

BigPinkRibbon.org

I am so HONORED to have founder of  The Big Pink Ribbon project, Asa Mahat,  on Bliss Radio this Wednesday April 28th. Asa will call into the show at 11:30 and to hear us as we stream live, tune in to http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com/BlissRadio

The Big Pink Ribbon is a multifaceted project created to unite the global community of breast cancer survivors and those who love them.  The rest of this info is straight from their website:  http://www.BigPinkRibbon.org   YOu can also support Big Pink Ribbon by joining their Facebook Fan Page: Just search on Big Pink Ribbon on Facebook. Every year in the United States, 250,000 people are diagnosed with breast cancer, which means that every year there are 250,000 more people seeking information, comfort, and support while battling this disease. Three years ago, Asa Mathat’s mother-in-law, Eileen, was diagnosed with stage one breast cancer.

As Eileen went thru her series of treatments, Asa saw the impact of this disease on Eileen, on his wife Kimberly, and on their entire family. As extended family and friends rallied around Eileen, Asa began to understand the importance of support from loved ones and other survivors in the recovery process, and he was inspired to act. This led to the creation of the Big Pink Ribbon project; at its nucleus, an oasis of inspiration, support and information for all those dealing with breast cancer. Asa naturally turned to his own 20 years of experience as a professional photographer as a starting point.

The first phase of this project is a social networking website, what you are now seeing in it’s beginning stage, it can be thought of as “Facebook meets breast cancer survival.” This site is aimed at becoming “the place” for breast cancer survivors to interact, share information and experiences, and to network with one another. Participants will have their own pages to give voice to their innermost thoughts, and post messages, photos, links, and videos. A “someone like me” feature will enable members to find other people at the same illness stage, while matching other demographic characteristics to build new friendships. Links to nutritional sites, current research, developments in treatment, and other branches of support will be available within this network. As the portal to a universe populated by breast cancer survivors, this site will be a safe place for them to be outspoken, blunt, angry, reflective, and hopeful—to express their feelings and thoughts.

Spouses, children, parents, siblings, and other family members as well as friends and co-workers will have their own designated area of the site. Husbands can then relate to husbands, moms to other moms, communicating freely and contributing their thoughts, feelings, frustrations and visions of hope.

The second phase of the Big Pink Ribbon project is the creation of a series of 50 Big Pink Books, one representing each state. The books will feature some of the personal narratives of the struggles, strength, recovery, and hope that have appeared on the BPR website. Each book will have an exclusive cover image tying the book to the state. These images will feature a “human pink ribbon,” like the one shown at the first page of this presentation. The models for this ribbon will be survivors of breast cancer, both men and women, (photographed separately) from that state. Hawaii’s book may feature a ribbon of pink, nude, models floating in the blue waters off Maui, while Iowa’s cover shot may depict the ribbon in a ready-to-harvest cornfield and New York we will fill windows of survivors in an adjacent skyscraper seeing them form a ribbon, floor by floor.

The hardcover, coffee-table quality books will be filled with the best stories and the brightest talent to illustrate these stories. The books will also be highlighted with images from regional photo shoots directed by Asa, insuring each session will be imbued with passion, compassion, and, where appropriate, with gentle humor, The Big Pink Books will reach into local communities, state by state. To incorporate the spirit and support of the community, school children and high school art students will be asked to produce images and submit graphic designs. These uplifting, intimate, and moving books will be available as published in bookstores, and from the website where visitors may choose to purchase personalized editions by uploading their own stories and images and have them printed in a “one off” manner.

Tagged as: asa mahat, breast cancer, pink ribbon