ABOUT US
Take a moment to look at the photograph above.
Based on today’s statistics, one out of every eight women in the United States will be stricken with breast cancer. In fact, in two locations in this country; Suffolk County, Long Island, the Bay Area, the statistic is an incredible 1 in 6!
Think about that for a minute. One out of six of every eight women that you know will face this potentially catastrophic disease and every fifteen minutes; one of those women will die. If that sounds frightening, it should. What’s even more upsetting is, it doesn’t have to happen. If breast cancer is detected early enough, a woman has a better than 90% chance of living out the rest of her life.
Most breast cancer organizations are focused on finding a cure for breast cancer and that is certainly something we all pray for, but while hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent to that end, hundreds of thousands of men and women could have been saved through something as simple as a regularly scheduled mammogram or self-exam.
The 1 in 8 Foundation began when Hollywood writer and producer, Ken Vrana, moved to the Raleigh area of North Carolina and made a documentary film called “Snow Angels”. “Snow Angels” followed 3 women through a year of their lives, all of whom had breast cancer. As production was wrapping up, Sir Paul McCartney and Canadian singer Sarah McLaughlin, offered their music for the film’s soundtrack and ultimately, Ken was asked to work with the breast cancer charity that has been created to honor the life and work of Sir Paul’s first wife, Linda Eastman McCartney. Then after 5 years, Ken created the 1 in 8 Foundation and has never looked back.
The 1 in 8 Foundation is a broad based non-profit entity through which all of the 1 in 8 business flows. 1 in 8 Motorsports works to fight breast cancer using the motorsports industry as its primary audience. There is also a unique new initiative called Speedsters, aimed specifically at educating and motivating young people to become more proactive about their health. Because breast cancer is beginning to strike younger and younger women, Ken feels that it is never too early to become vigilant. Speedsters is an anime program created to capture the imagination of young people in new and innovative ways, and the response to the program has been amazing.
The 1 in 8 has grown by leaps and bounds and in October of 2007, it was named the fastest growing motorsports charity in the world. That may well be true. In 2007, the 1 in 8 produced 7 events. For 2009, it is looking at over 60!
If you would like to help save women’s lives, please take a moment to read the ‘We Need You’ and ‘Initiatives Page‘ of this site. Our programs are designed to be fun and easy to put on. Together, we can make a huge difference in the lives of tens of thousands of men and women, impacted by this deadly disease.
FAQ’s
Why is the organization called the 1 in 8?
Currently, one out of every eight women in the United States will be affected by breast cancer during their lifetimes.
How did the organization come about?
The 1 in 8 Foundation was created by writer/producer Ken Vrana, who was working for Sir Paul McCartney’s breast cancer charity.
What is the focus of the 1 in 8?
Early detection.
What makes the 1 in 8 different from any other breast cancer charity?
Aside from our focus on early detection, nearly every one who works for the foundation, worldwide, work on a volunteer basis. As a result, we do not have a large overhead like many breast cancer organizations, thereby allowing us to give far more to women with breast cancer.
Are there any other ways in which the 1 in 8 is unique?
Breast cancer is unfortunately striking younger and younger people, so the 1 in 8 has created a special program called Speedsters, for those ages 15 to 25.
How does the 1 in 8 raise money?
There are many ways in which the 1 in 8 raises money including special initiatives, concerns, and fundraisers worldwide.
Specifically, where does the money go that the foundation raises?
We feel that unfortunately too often, money collected by charities tend to disappear into a black hole which can not be accounted for to the people who make those donation. We pride ourselves on being very transparent and thus able to track every dollar we raise. Our primary thrust is funding mammograms for those who cannot otherwise afford them, education about breast cancer and grass roots involvement.
How can I help?
See the How You Can Help page of this site.
You can also make donate by clicking on the button below:
