Overcomers October Fundraising Recap 2018
Our October fundraising was a huge success!
Introduction
Overcomers is very grateful to all of our donors for our 2018 October Fundraising season! We were able to raise $1373 to aid in our Pink under the Tree program. Below we will share a recap of all of the events in October that helped us reach this donation amount.
Brighton Power of Pink Fundraiser
Overcomers had the amazing opportunity to partner with Brighton La Cantera to help us raise $335 to add to our total. Throughout October, Overcomers volunteers manned a table at the Brighton La Cantera location, sharing with shoppers how Overcomers provides support for breast cancer survivors for the community of San Antonio and surrounding areas. Special thanks to PRMA, The Pink Boutique, and the Methodist Hospital nurse navigators.
Kendra Scott Gives Back Event with Overcomers
On October 5, Kendra Scott at La Cantera was having a fundraiser event with Overcomers. We were able to raise $718! The turnout for this event was amazing! We saw so many familiar faces and were able to share the news of Overcomers with so many new ones. Our awesome board member, Jennifer Lee, took some beautiful photos of the event. You can view some of them below:
Overcomers Facebook Fundraising
Through generous donations from our friends on Facebook, we were able to raise over $300! Thank you to all of you who donated and helped make all of our facebook fundraisers a success! We were amazed by the support of all the people on social media.
What’s Next?
Overcomers will be delivering Christmas presents to families affected by breast cancer who otherwise would not be able to afford presents, which we are calling, Pink Under the Tree. (Note: Overcomers is not taking applications, but is partnering with local nurse navigators to select families who most need these presents.) We thank all of our donors who make this possible. I urge you to like and follow our Facebook Page, as I know we will be posting more information about this program in the future.
Did you attend one of these events or have any feedback on a fundraiser we should do in the future? Let us know in the comments!
#InTheNews | Overcomers Article on ASPS
Overcomers made the front cover of American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) 2018 magazine for the fall!
The article told the stories of both our Founder and Co-Founder, Genny Small and Jessica Meyers, as well as our recent fundraiser, The Men in Pink Gala. An excerpt from the post reads as follows: “Serving breast cancer survivors is a communal effort for the Small family. Genny’s husband, Paul, teaches the men’s workshop to help spouses process their emotions and support their wives as a co-survivor, and their children, who range from ages 4 to 16, also volunteer. (You can read one of there testimonies here) Genny hopes these charitable efforts and community outreach inspire them to follow in her footsteps.
“All of our children are involved, whether it’s helping me stuff envelopes for the gala, working behind the scenes with the organization or updating the organization’s website,” Genny says. “They all see the positive part of joining together as a family. I hope they’ll find a way to give back no matter what challenges come their way. That’s what life is about. It’s not about us. It’s about giving back in whatever season we’re in. If someone has a need, and we can meet it, why not be a blessing to someone else?”
Jessica and Genny crossed paths at the end of their breast-cancer journeys. They discovered a shared passion to help survivors rebuild their lives after cancer and joined together to create Overcomers: Daughters of the King of Kings, a nonprofit organization and sisterhood to encourage, equip and empower breast cancer survivors and their families. “Right after I was cancer-free, I made a vow to help as many people as I could, so when Genny first approached me about her idea, it was a definite yes,” says Jessica, Overcomers Co-founder, and Vice President. “We dove into it together without any hesitation. As survivors, we try to focus on the things we experienced and spread awareness to let people know about our services, so they won’t feel alone. We have a huge sisterhood. We take these women under our wings, and they become family.”
Genny and Jessica hope to expand their reach to help women beyond the San Antonio area find their new normal after breast cancer and remind them they are not alone.
“I want to be a voice to let them know it’s OK to be vulnerable, and it’s OK to have these scars,” Genny says. “My breasts represented nurturing, so it was hard to lose that part of me. But having reconstruction helps me look in the mirror and say, ‘We’ve been through some stuff together. I’m thankful. If you can look at yourself in the mirror and say, ‘This is the new me – I’m stronger, I’m more resilient, that’s powerful.” “Reconstruction has helped me feel whole again,” she continues. “We have scars, but I think scars are amazing. They represent a battlefield and remind me that I am a warrior.”
[Note:] We want women to know that reconstruction is a personal choice and to do what you feel is best for your journey. Sadly, the statics show that many women are not offered reconstruction as an option and that shouldn’t be happening. Be your own advocate and get the care you need when it comes to all of your choices in your health care. Overcomers recommend seeking places that can help you navigate your questions with breast cancer. We support a new App called Breast Advocate for both you and your family members as questions arise. Thank you to Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo for creating this incredible resource in an app.
You can read the full article below:
Link to the online copy of the magazine here.
You can learn more about what Overcomers does for breast cancer survivors by visiting our About Page. Overcomers also needs volunteers to help us at events, so if you are wanting to know more information about volunteering with Overcomers, please visit our Volunteer Page.
If you have any questions for Genny or Jessica, please leave a comment below!