In The Weekend to End Breast Cancer 2005, BJ and The Boobettes raised $35,708.74, ranking 9th out of 373 teams in the event to raise money for breast cancer research and breast cancer cure. The Boobettes are aiming to make a larger contribution in 2006. To reach the team's goal, it appears they have embarked on a web media blitz campaign, showing up in email boxes of friends and on blog comments. The Weekend to End Breast Cancer, August 18-20, 2006, is a two day fundraising event, where thousands of women and men unite in Vancouver, British Columbia, to walk 60 kilometres to celebrate breast cancer survivors and honor the lives lost to breast cancer. Currently, on the BJ and The Boobettes team page, they rank second as the team with the most donations this year. BJ and The Boobettes say they had a lot of fun fundraising, training and participating in the 2005 walk and this year they are having just as much fun. Indeed, they are a fun group of women, with a serious cause. I have no doubts BJ and The Boobettes will reach and exceed this year's fundraising goals!

In February 2004, Amy Micks, a breast cancer survivor, climbed to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro as a personal challenge. It was on the summit her idea for Up Kili was born, as a way to share with other breast cancer survivors, the incredible experience of getting to the summit of the mountain.

On February 21, 2006, Micks will take 30 breast cancer survivors and their friends to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro to raise funds for breast cancer research. Joining Micks on the climb will be Diane Brooks, who lost her aunt and sister to breast cancer; Deryl Empson, husband to Mary Ann; Mary Ann Empson, eight-year survivor; Joanna Chrystal, survivor, will be joined by her daughter Haley; Haley Higdon; John Karagossian; Maria Parusis, whose mother is a survivor; Karen Panzer, survivor; Kathy Ng, four-year survivor; Maggie Loney who lost two sisters to cancer; Marjorie Ramsden, four-year survivor; Tara Dodson, whose aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer; Pamela Jackson, three-year survivor; Pauline Auty, seven-year survivor; Trudie Hynes, whose mother is a seven-year survivor; Shoshana Burgett, diagnosed with breast cancer last year; Valerie Kraus, 10-year survivor; Michael Henry; Sylvia Rak, whose friend is a survivor; Gwen Frankland, 29-year survivor; Alison Curtis, three-year survivor; Deb Wallace, who joins her friend Alison on the climb; Kata Vucovic, 27-year survivor; Cathy Tsilfidis who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and Luc Sabourin, who will be joining Cathy on the climb; and Sue Scharf-Green whose joins friend Karen Panzer on the climb. Eddie Frank, husband of Amy Micks, and Matt Dodson will lead the climb.

On March 2nd, they will reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. A symbolic endeavor of spirit as magnificent as the mountain, of 30 who are surviving breast cancer to conquer a mountain.

According to Breast Cancer Action, there is no prevention, there is no cure, and breast cancer knows no boundaries. In addition, the organization states that mammograms do not prevent cancer; that the lack of medical insurance and poor access to treatment is the cause of decreasing survival rates; and we are constantly exposed to an environment saturated with cancer-causing toxins.

Frustrated by inadequate, superficial breast cancer data and research offered by government agencies and other organizations, a group of San Francisco Bay Area women got together and formed Breast Cancer Action, a grassroots organization of breast cancer survivors and their supporters. Activism and advocacy, with an interest in answers leading to true prevention and a true cure for breast cancer, are at the heart of their organization. The bad girls of breast cancer are pushing to make breast cancer a national priority, to empower women and men to fully participate in decisions relating to breast cancer, and are calling for a refocusing of research into the causes, treatment, cure and prevention of breast cancer. In the U.S., a woman is diagnosed with invasive breast cancer every three minutes.