Author Archive: Jennifer Carey

Veterans, Survivors, and Heroes

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In honor of Veterans’ Day tomorrow, I thought this quote honors all of our heroes, military and survivors alike.

While The Boob Ride prides itself on being a fun event for a good cause, we never lose sight of seriousness of the disease. If you would like us to add your breast cancer heroes to our remembrance wall, please contact us here.

In honor of my mom’s triumph over breast cancer.

In support of the survivors: Diane Anderson, Briana Baldwin, Sheila Carey, Maria Chimowicz, Jennifer Dempsey, Anne Ducan, Cinda Flynn, Pam Hernandez, Maria Jaramillo, Suzanne Jackson, Jaime Jenkins, Rachel Kelley, Feili Lee, Linda McCarthy, Bernadette Peterson, Michelle Przemieniecki, Linda Pisano, Anita Richards Savitz, Mary Lou Sullivan, Adriane Wallace, Blanche Wilson, Carole Wilson, Jaime Wilson, Patty Witt, and Dacy Yee.

In memory of Lucy Bogarin, Edna Carey, Cathy Cohen, Patricia Ann Ford, Heather Sainsbury, Maryanne Sosnowski, Donna Strauhal, and Janine Walker.

As a former bra analyst

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It is no secret that I wear many hats and have had more jobs than I can count over the years, but one of the most memorable jobs I’ve had was becoming a bra analyst at Victoria’s Secret during college. I worked my way up from a simple seasonal greeter to an all powerful bra analyst. Wielding trusty measuring tape, I measured women and helped them find a bra that actually fit. Most women I measured had no idea what their actual bra size was. Bra sizing can be difficult for most women, but it gets even trickier after a mastectomy.

In conversations with my survivor friends, bra type and bra fit becomes a substantial issue for them post reconstructive surgery. I stumbled across this blog today, Bra tips post surgery, and it gives some great advice about bra fitting during treatment/post-surgery.
And if you are wondering what to do with your bras that you can no longer wear – we’ll take them! The Boob Ride is proud to use your bras to decorate our rest stops and party venue on the ride. Big or small, we’ll take them all!

FUN 4 GOOD AmazonSmile Announcement

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Since we have been recognized as a nonprofit organization, we now qualify for the AmazonSmile program. So, you can choose FUN 4 GOOD as your designated charity.

The AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price from your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to FUN 4 GOOD. AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support us every time you shop, at NO COST TO YOU. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to your favorite charitable organization. Your donations through Amazon Smile will help us with the operational costs for The Boob Ride, so that we can use 100% of the participants’ registration costs for the cause.

Please click on the link below and choose FUN 4 GOOD as your designated charity.

https://smile.amazon.com/ch/47-4635602

 

We know that there are many deserving charities and important causes out there, and we thank you for choosing us!

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Surviving Cancer and a 60 Mile Walk

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This is a recap of Michelle’s 3 Day SGK walk, why she did it, and how she started The Boob Ride Pennsylvania. In August of 2014, I found a large lump in my right breast.  I had already had breast cancer 7 years prior and had clean mammograms every year – It didn’t even cross […]

2nd Time Survivor, 1st Time Walker

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We are so excited to announce that our PA Boob Ride director is taking part in her first Susan G. Komen 3 Day 60 mile walk this weekend (Oct 2nd-4th). Michelle is a second time survivor of breast cancer and she is quite the inspiration. This has been a year of firsts for Michelle, as […]

We all know someone

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We all know someone who has been affected by cancer, either directly or indirectly.

It is hitting us very close to home here at The Boob Ride. We are sending all our love and prayers to one of our team members who is facing yet another surgery due to cancer this week. Extend all your positive vibes and powers of healing to our team.

 

How do you help a friend with cancer?

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As a close friend of mine is battling cancer for second time, I am reminded of how precarious it is to want to help and not know how. Again, I am in the position of wanting to help but feeling absolutely useless.

In my experience, when someone is diagnosed with cancer, most people do not know what to do. People want to help; they want to be there for their relative or friend, but they don't know how to approach the patient. Friends and family are not sure if they should address the issue directly or wait for the patient to bring it up. No one is ever prepared to watch someone he or she loves go through treatment, side effects, and pain. Most of us are taught not to bring up our pain, fear, or frustrations in polite company. However, cancer is never polite and the patient shouldn't have to be either. If you know that you won't be able to listen to the raw truth about the cancer experience, take the indirect approach. Send "thinking of you" cards. Buy the patient a subscription to a movie service or buy a favorite book series.

Often times the most well-meaning people end up on the sidelines because they don't know how to start a dialog with the patient. Not only is there a fear of over-stepping or saying something stupid, there is also the undeniable fear of cancer itself.  My best advice – be honest — say, "I want to help you but I don't know how".  Then, listen.

I struggled with helping my mom through cancer, mostly because I am very emotional and empathetic person. I am a sympathetic cry-er. I realized that my reaction wasn't going to help my mom heal – physically or emotionally. She didn't need empathy, as much as she needed open communication. So, I became her cancer coach. She was able to tell me honestly how she felt and when she felt like giving up – but without judgement or my immediate "you can fight this" response. In the end, she knew she had to fight because it was her only option.  But knowing this and doing it every day, is something far different. My whole family felt desperate and we could feel it in the awkward silences between us. We struggled to say the right thing and balance positive thinking with realism.

Throughout the years, I've been compiling lists and ideas about how to help the cancer patients' close friends and relatives. However, I found this list and it seems to cover most everything. If you wish to help the patient directly, but neither of you know what to do, read this list. It has some great ideas about how to help without being overbearing.

How to Help a Friend Who Has Cancer

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Exciting week for The Boob Ride

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This is an exciting week here at The Boob Ride! We received our official notice of our trademark. We submitted our trademark application back in October, so we had to wait 9 long months for this baby!

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Also, The Boob Ride is having its first EVER ride in Pennsylvania on Saturday July 11th. Our friend Michelle has been working hard to create this event. She has created some challenging routes through the historic village of St. Peter's as well as a fantastic post-ride party which includes live music, raffles, and of course – the Boob Awards. 
If you are interested in more information about The Boob Ride PA, click here. 

KChildre1

Commander Kevin Childre

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Sadly, one of our own has passed away. Unfortunately, Commander Kevin Childre crashed on his bike and succumbed to his brain injuries. Kevin was a naval officer, EOD Technician, and avid supporter of The Boob Ride.  In fact, Commander Childre won the Best Overall Rider (Yellow Bra Award) in 2011. Kevin has graciously offered his knowledge and support to help us expand and improve the ride throughout the years. We have suffered a great loss, and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and all who knew him. He will be missed.

Commander Childre was a passionate supporter for the EOD Wounded Warrior Foundation. If you would like to make a donation in his honor, please go towww.eodwarriorfoundation.org
yellow bra 2011