By Guest Blogger: Kristine Keller of the CFDA
The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) has a rich history of supporting philanthropy. Fashion Targets Breast Cancer (FTBC) was started in 1994 by CFDA board member, Ralph Lauren, and during its first year, the initiative raised $2 million to benefit the Nina Hyde Center for Breast Health at the Lombardi Cancer Center at Georgetown University medical center. The campaign was subsequently entrusted to the CFDA Foundation, which partners with CFDA Members and other exciting brands to raise funds for breast cancer patient care.
Steven Kolb, Fern Mallis, Maria Sharapova
To date, the initiative has raised $55 million dollars. With the proceeds from FTBC campaigns, the CFDA Foundation provides meaningful help to individuals concerned about and/or diagnosed with breast cancer by providing access to patient navigators who provide physical, psychological, social, educational, and financial aid throughout diagnosis, during treatment, and throughout the remaining years of their lives. Patient navigators primarily help low-income, minority, and immigrant women who do not get routine cancer screenings because they do not have health insurance, primary care physicians, or language skills necessary to understand educational materials.
President/CEO, Steven with our 2014 ambassador, Maria Sharapova, and Fern Mallis who was instrumental in bringing FTBC to life years ago. Karolina Kurkova was our 2012 ambassador and in she’s visiting one of our grantees.
Cosabella is contributing to the effort by reimagining the traditional post op bra: The Happie. This bralette is a specialized support garment made specifically for post-operative patients. The latest addition to the beloved Never Say Never collection, this garment serves the dual purpose of being both a comfortable and beautiful post op bra. The Happie was designed with a frontal closure and engineered to be ultra-lightweight to ensure comfort for everyday wear. Cosabella is excited to offer mastectomy patients comfort, support, and compression in a range of sizes from Small to 3X, while also being attractive and easy to wear.
Never Say Never Happie Front Closure Bralette
How does this help? For every Happie sold (in the color Deep Ruby) during October, Cosabella is donating a whopping 20% of the proceeds to the FTBC initiative. With the support of Cosabella and additional partners, the CFDA Foundation is able to continue its fundraising efforts for breast cancer patient care.
KRISTINE KELLER
COUNCIL OF FASHION DESIGNERS OF AMERICA
SENIOR MANAGER OF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS