Did you know one in eight women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer over the course of her lifetime? It’s an alarming statistic, but by making small, meaningful changes in your life you can reduce that chance. With less than 10% of cases driven by hereditary factors, it’s important to pay attention to environmental or behavioral factors, which cause the lion’s share of breast cancer cases today. After being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011 and undergoing many surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation, I started Notes4Hope, a qualified 501(c)3 charitable organization, to educate others about these non-hereditary factors and promote healthy lifestyle habits for breast cancer prevention.
Giving back is a core value of our culture at Channel Impact, and something we practice year round. During the month of October, Channel Impact is encouraging donations to Notes4Hope and pledging a matching donation (up to $1,000) as well. Will you join us in giving back and taking action in the fight against breast cancer?”
Each year Notes4Hope raises funds and provides education through benefit concerts in the Bay Area with talented musicians including Mat Kearney, Matt Nathanson and Toad The Wet Sprocket. But this year, we’re doing something different: we’re raising awareness through our Wellness And Recovery (WAR) Kits. Each WAR kit features 10 key items for women to use as they’re going through cancer treatment — from lip balm and hand sanitizer to soft socks and small pillows. The goal is to provide comfort and education to be more mindful of products that can lead to breast cancer.
Notes4Hope will deliver WAR Kits throughout this month to Bay Area breast cancer patients by partnering with a number of organizations including Comprehensive Cancer Center, John Muir Health Cancer Institute and Kaiser Permanente. In addition, individuals can purchase Kits — for themselves or as a gift for someone else — through Notes4Hope.
Chemicals Are Harmful to Your Skin
All of the items in our WAR Kits are clean and non-toxic, with skin items verified by The Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Skin Deep database. The reason we verify the skin items is simple: skin is the largest human organ, yet many of the ingredients in personal care products are unregulated in the U.S. The FDA has banned only 11 chemicals in the cosmetic industry, compared to 1,328 banned chemicals in the EU. The average woman uses 12 personal care products every day, including many with chemicals that are known to cause cancer and other health problems. These harmful ingredients go through the skin and are absorbed into your bloodstream.
Through resource like EWG’s database, you can become a more informed, ingredient-conscious consumer. The database contains detailed information and hazard assessments for tens of thousands of products. Other valuable resources that you can turn to include the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and the Think Dirty App, which breaks down what’s in the products you use every day and the harmful chemicals you should avoid.
Take Action Today
Whether you purchase a WAR Kit, donate to Notes4Hope or help rewrite the statistics by swapping out your personal care products — such as lotions, cosmetics, cleansers — for something less toxic, I encourage you to take action in the fight against breast cancer today. Take it from me, time is of the essence. Thanks in advance for your support.