ZumBCA For Life!

Committee Members: L-R Yonni Wattenmaker, Debbi OShea, Ellen Keats,
Courtney Plumb, Erica Gomez, Mike Buoncore

Here's what happens when new and old friends come together to support a great cause, the Breast Cancer Alliance of Greenwich:

Photographs by Cara Gilbride for Fairfield County LOOK

On Sunday, October 27 Equinox Greenwich hosted ZumBCA for Life, a Zumba party to raise funding for Breast Cancer Alliance.  This first annual event raised over $14,000!  Food and drink were generously provided by Le Pain Quotidien, Creative Juice and Val’s Liquors, with Baccarat as an event sponsor.  DJ Catch and Double Up Co. heightened the energy of the day, providing a DJ and dancers who added to the roster of great Equinox instructors: Brandyn Guzman, Eddie Calle, Jeimy Cainosa, and Tony Rubio. 

Spearheaded by Committee Chair Tony DeMuro, Equinox Regional Marketing Manager, we started planning this event over the summer. Though BCA's major fundraiser, the annual Luncheon and Fashion Show was scheduled for the following week (bringing in $1.3 million dollars!), we thought we could still do a little more for this great organization. Equinox Greenwich, generously donated 100% of the proceeds. 



The fantastic Eddie Calle, Diva and  Committee Chair Tony DeMuro

Baccarat Manager Courtney Plumb shows the beautiful 
crystal Buddha awarded to a lucky raffle winner

BCA President Kathy Clark with Executive Director Yanni Wattenmaker

Monica Lopes with Blackjack, Spa Manager Danielle Cervi and Meryl Sobel

A masseuse from Equinox Spa gives a mini massage to a participant after class

It was a day of great energy, high spirits and great teamwork. Naturally, it was the first "annual" ZumBCA for Life event.

Congrats and many thanks to the BCA Jr. Committee and all who volunteered and participated in this truly fun event.

xox,

DD

Before Angelina- The Women Who Outplayed Cancer

DivaDebbi Time.com 10/28/13
Photo by Miller Mobley

A few weeks ago, I was contacted by my friend Sue Friedman, founder and Executive Director of FORCE, an online support group for women who are at high risk of breast and ovarian cancer due to family history.  She told me that Time was putting together an issue for the final week of Breast Cancer Awareness Month on women, "before Angelina". Angelina of course does not need a surname  introduction. Might I be interested in participating?

Angelina Jolie, one of the most beautiful women in the world had gone public in September, with her decision to do a prophylactic double mastectomy and reconstruction, due to her BrCa 1 mutation. Her mother had died of ovarian cancer and a month after her surgery, her aunt succumbed to breast cancer.  Angelina, mother of 6, was not going to let this be her fate. 

I was moved by  her bravery, not just as a woman who understands it from the inside out, but because she just as easily could have kept this private. Her decision I believe was motivated by her desire to inform and educate.

Bravo Angie.