| An exclusive cocktail party hosted by
Angie Harmon, Jesse L. Martin and the entire cast of Law and Order, The
Fugitive's Connie Britton, and MTV's Amanda Lewis, followed by musical
performances from Fisher and Lisa Loeb, is the latest event planned by Big Bam!
Founded in 1998, Big Bam! is a non-profit organization whose mission is to educate
young women about breast cancer. While the
majority of breast cancer cases occur in women over 50 years of age, there is a growing
concern about breast cancer in younger women. According to Big Bam!, the incidence
of breast cancer in young women increased by approximately 55% between 1950 and 1995 and
continues to rise at a rate of 2% each year.
"In my experience, many breast cancer organizations and studies tend to focus on women over age 45. Our goal is to cater information and attention to young women with breast cancer," said Janice Bonadio, Founder of Big Bam! Bonadio is a 35-year old breast cancer survivor who was diagnosed with the disease at age 27. "To this end, we host entertaining, appealing events that serve the dual purpose of raising funding while delivering valuable educational material to young women," said Bonadio. Big Bam! plans to supply funds directly to breast cancer research for young women, provide a forum for young women to discuss breast health, and target several cities (beginning with New York, Miami, Los Angeles and San Francisco) to distribute free information about women’s health issues. The organization’s latest event is a Fashion and Music Series, which was recently held in San Francisco and will take place in New York City, Boston, and Philadelphia later this year. The New York City event is scheduled for the evening of April 21, 2001. The event will begin with a cocktail party (hosted by the cast of Law and Order and other celebrities) and a runway fashion show by newly acclaimed designer, Pixie Yates. This will be followed with musical performances by artists Fisher and Lisa Loeb. Guests will be able to dance with their favorite celebrities. Tickets may be purchased online at http://www.ersvp.com/reply/event8107 or by emailing Janice Bonadio at jbbigbam@aol.com.
"All of the proceeds from this concert series will benefit Big Bam!" said Bonadio. The Fashion and Music series will also take place in Boston and Philadelphia later this year (see chart above). Big Bam! has contributed to various organizations such as SHARE, which provides self-help and support groups for young women, and The Pink Ribbons Project, which in partnership with Cancercare, grants services for women with cancer without health insurance. While annual screening mammograms are not usually recommended for women until they reach 40 years of age, all women 20 years of age and older should practice monthly breast self-exams and receive physician-performed clinical breast exams at least every three years. Women with a strong family history of breast cancer should talk to their physicians about beginning annual mammograms before age 40. Click here to read the Imaginis section, "Breast Health 101" For Women Ages 20-40."
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