Click the calendar links to see winning entries from the Texas Health Fort Worth Bra Art Competition, honoring a survivor or victim of breast cancer.
January | February | March | April | May | June
July | August | September | October | November | December
January
Shonya Carter
I am not a breast cancer survivor, but I have a couple of friends that are. This will be my second year to walk in the Breast Cancer 3 Day. I walk for all women that have battled breast cancer, and for their loved ones that supported them.
Top of Page
February
Charla Sims
Decorated bra title: SAVE OUR BOOBEES
This is a collective attempt to support cancer research. The idea came from Jodi Jeffords, H7F manager, and the art from my wonderful husband, Ralph Vallejo. We hope you enjoy it!
Top of Page
March
Emily Turner
Decorated bra title: Fly Away
When I was young, I loved spending time with my Grandma Mary. We would sit and paint or sew for hours. She would let me make whatever I wanted, she helped me grow creativity. She helped me appreciate beauty. I never knew my Grandma without breast cancer. She was always fighting, she was always tired. The cancer never stopped her from creating art, and I loved that about her. So many of her paintings involved birds, I have often wondered if she wanted to fly away. Her favorite bird was the cardinal.
Eventually, my Grandmother won her fight against breast cancer ... she flew away. My bra art is a tribute to all she taught me about beauty and art. Fly Away.
Top of Page
April
Susan Fruge
Decorated bra title: Don't hide your head in the sand
My family has been spared the anguish of breast cancer so far, but you never know when it can strike. I am a big fan of wellness and disease prevention. Monthly self breast exams should be a part of every woman's routine. Don't think it can't happen to you.
Top of Page
May
Diann Brown
Decorated bra title: The Butterfly Bra
I was a healthy 50-year-old woman who did all the right things to tip fate in my favor; after all, I wanted to live a very long, healthy and productive life. My lifestyle of regular exercise, a healthy diet and no family history of breast cancer did not prepare me for October 3, 2008. Before that fateful day, my mantra was I'll rest when I die. Therefore, I worked hard and played hard. My life changed forever when the doctor said she was 98 percent certain I had breast cancer.
My initial reaction was someone had pricked a balloon and let all the air out. My stress level dropped to zero in a matter of seconds and immediately everything of importance became crystal clear. It was not my work, but my life!
It took me a week to share the news with my daughter and family. Fear is a strange thing in that your imagination always seems to focus on the worst possible outcome. But I was determined not to be overcome by fear.
From Day 1, I decided that I was going to fight hard and that I would win! There was no time for negative thoughts or negative people. As I replayed the last month before my diagnosis, I realized God had already prepared me for this battle.
During my conversation with my daughter, she asked if I would be OK, and I said, "I will be better than I was before." I knew I would be transformed into a better person, as would the people around me. My attitude was I would do whatever I needed to do to get through this bump in the road. Through this journey I have become a more compassionate person. I now have the ability to focus on what is really important in life. I live to help others and share my story as one of inspiration and encouragement. I went from being a very private individual to one who freely shares with others. God has shown me my purpose in life; to help others.
Top of Page
June
Fonda McMillen
Decorated bra title: Blowing Bubbles
A small goldfish can represent life. The fish swims along with many ups and downs. Each bubble the fish blows is a moment in time that is very special whether sad or happy. One bubble is for the birth of a daughter, a grandchild, a marriage, loss of parents, career changes and being told you have breast cancer.
Breast cancer brings along with it a lot of changes: surgery, loss of hair, treatments and new friends.
The friends are like the bubbles. My circle of friends grows daily with each stranger I meet. When I see someone without hair I will talk to them. We share experiences and when we finish, we hug like best friends. These moments are like the bubbles the fish blows — always flowing upward.
Top of Page
July
Dana McGuirk
Decorated bra title: No Less A Starfish
This story is in honor of a dear friend of mine, Katherine. She is a co-worker, and an inspiration to all of the women that have gone through breast cancer. She was diagnosed with breast cancer nearly two decades ago. Since then, it has been her challenge and passion to make women aware that there is life after breast cancer and that the loss of a breast does not define who you are, but what you can become!
Katherine wrote a beautiful story that was published in the Chicken Soup for the Surviving Soul series in 1996. This is a shorter version of the heart warming and hopeful story for all women facing breast cancer.
Eight weeks after my mastectomies, I agreed to accompany my husband on a trip to Connecticut and Rhode Island during June, with the understanding that I would rest as much as necessary and not overdo it. I've always had a great love for the sand and the ocean and suggested we try and get down to Newport Beach if possible. For me, there is something therapeutic about the ocean ... the waves, walking in the sand, watching the tide, just experiencing the presence of the ocean. I felt I would feel more connected to nature, myself, and the healing process.
We gathered our things and headed for the shore. I couldn't wait to take off my sandals and scrunch my toes in the wet sand. As we topped a hill, the beach looked like a patchwork quilt of beach blankets. I had never seen so many people on so little sand in all of my life. We wove our way thru the crowd toward the water. As I took a step, I looked down and saw a beautiful starfish! I thought to myself, how could this be? All of these people and no one stepped on it or even bent over to pick it up! I was as thrilled as a child. For me it was magic: my own personal gift from the sea. As I looked at the starfish, I realized something unique about her. One of its arms was bent and curved around. At that moment, from someplace deep within me, I had an overwhelming awareness, a sense of meaning. This was no less a starfish because it had a bent arm, and I was no less a woman because I lost my breasts. I called it my "grace moment." I realized it was no accident that I found myself on that beach, that day, at that moment.
This experience was simply an answer to my prayer. I knew I would survive breast cancer from that moment on. Furthermore, I had a message I would willingly share with others.
No matter what our setbacks, difficulties or pain, we can get through them. Only through these moments from hell do we reach deep down within our being and discover who we are, what we believe and what is important and "real" in our lives. We experience a "knowing of our soul."
Today, I have my little starfish on a special table in my home. Every time I pass it I think of its message. I'm grateful for the insight having cancer gave to me and for a relationship with a Higher Power that blesses me with little miracles on a daily basis. Most of all, I am grateful to know in my heart that I am no less a woman because I lost my breasts to cancer. I am more than my limitations...
Top of Page
August
Susan Stanford
Decorated bra title: Garden Restoration
"Autumn is a second Spring where every leaf is a flower." Albert Camus (1913-1960)
No matter what the season ... there is always hope.
Top of Page
September
Sheila Reese
Decorated bra title: Roses will Bloom Again
Cancer, in general, has had an effect in different ways and different times in my life. Cancer took my maternal grandfather, Granddaddy Prince, before I was born. How I wish I could have known him. It later took my Uncle Jerry while I was in graduate school. How I still miss him. Most recently, cancer took Kathy (a friend from grad school recently reconnected through Facebook) just a few months from her diagnosis.
Breast cancer, specifically, has affected my life through my Aunt Jackie. She is now approximately a 28 year survivor. I wanted to do this project in honor and respect of Jackie; trying to incorporate some of my hobbies. As I considered what to do, the song "Roses Will Bloom Again," by Jeff and Sheri Easter came to mind. It is a song that can be applied to any hardship or struggle someone may be going through. It helps bring a hope and peace that, even though we may not understand the reasons, God is with us and will help see us through.
Chorus
Roses will bloom again,
Just wait and see
Don't mourn what might have been
Only God knows how and when that
Roses will bloom again.
It is befitting to mention that a few years ago, Sheri Easter had to fight breast cancer and is a survivor. The same for Janet Paschal, another Christian music artist, now surviving breast cancer.
Only God knows how and when the cure for breast cancer will be discovered; but roses will bloom again!
Top of Page
October
Anna Bowers
Decorated bra title: Jack O Lantern's Beauty
I've created this bra to be a representation of the journey a breast cancer patient goes through. The spider represents the breast cancer diagnosis, the fear of the unknown. I used the symbol of the jack o lantern as the centerpiece for the bra for several reasons. The jack o lanterns represent the difficult part of a breast cancer patient's journey — the cancer treatment including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation and all the physical changes associated with treatment just as a pumpkin must go through physical changes to be transformed into a jack o lantern. The glitter is the glow from the jack o lantern's light, how it shines through providing the jack o lantern's beauty. This represents the light of hope that shines through the fear and the treatment of the breast cancer patient, a hope that creates the beauty.
Top of Page
November
Debi Harpole
Decorated bra title: Eyes on the Prize
I am honoring the memory of my mom, Billy Seets, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in May of 1980. She remained cancer free until January 2004 when she was then diagnosed with kidney cancer. Ultimately the kidney cancer took her from us April 11, 2005. But not before she could instill her wisdom and wit to all that knew her. She always saw the bright side, the silver lining, always had her Eye On The Prize, a cure for cancer. So, with all that she gave to me, I honor her and her memory. With that, I submit my interpretation of her wit, amazing humor and strength.
Top of Page
December
Kathi Romero
Decorated bra title: Nice Rack
One of the nurses on our floor was diagnosed three weeks ago and recently had to have surgery. Harris 5 wants to show our support to Cindy, her family and all those at Texas Health going through this challenge.
Top of Page |
