2011 Blogger Boobie-Thon - We share because we care! Bloggers raising breast cancer awareness by baring their boobies to raise money for breast cancer research!

And it’s over

Wow, what a ride.  The 10th Annual Blogger Boobie-Thon has ended, and I'm so proud of what this little event has accomplish over the past 10 years.  It's bittersweet that this is the last year, but it also feels like the right time to retire the Boobie-Thon.  We've had a great run, and in internet years we're like 87 or something.  

This year we've raised $10,003.88  -- $7,448.88 for Komen and $2,555 for Wendy. I could not be more proud. 

Every year, our volunteers work around the clock to make the Boobie-Thon a success.  A lot of folks don't get what it takes to run this thing; there's a lot of blood, sweat and tears, but in the end, it's worth it all.  Jenn, Misty, and Christy, thank you for being here with me, getting photos up and leading the charge on twitter and facebook.  

To all of our donors and photo participants, thank you!  Your generosity blows me away time and time again. Thank you thank you!

Also a huge thank you to the Second Life Boobie-Thon who has coordinated a week of events that raises money for Komen and then pledges it through to Boobie-Thon.  This year they donated $2,133.88!  

To everyone who has been here this year and for all of our supporters over the years, thank you for making the Boobie-Thon a fun, irreverent, at times crazy fundraiser.  We have gone from being blasted for objectifying women, to a legitimate pledge drive that helps save womens lives.  You all did that.  You should be proud of what you've accomplished here in the past 10 years.  I know I am.  

10 Years

10 years.  It's hard to imagine something that was created on the fly has now been around longer than the Internet had even been in existence when the first Boobie-Thon took place!  In 2002 I was still in my 20s, even if just barely.  I wasn't yet a mom and didn't even own a digital camera, much less a DSLR.  Now I have a 2nd grader, a 1st grader, and I'm a professional photographer and editor at Professional Photographer Magazine.  A lot of things have changed in the last decade!

When I put the Boobie-Thon up for adoption in 2007, the "want ad" included the following:  "You will be part owner, part manager, part press coordinator, part therapist, part help desk, part web designer, part tech support, part photo editor.....And you will come back and do it year after year because it will be one of the best, most life-changing things you have ever been associated with."  But I could not have created in type what Melissa has been in reality.  I also had no way of knowing in addition to the job description, soon "social media expert" would be added to the list.  Flickr was just a baby.  MySpace was something "those kids" did.  Facebook and Twitter had yet to make their presence known.  Forget Instagram -- cell phones didn't even take photos back then!  But Melissa navigated the new Internet without a hiccup and never missed a beat.  She cracked the elusive $10K barrier in 2009 and did it again in 2010.  She brought new life and new vision to the event at a time it would turn out to be needed like never before.  And not only has she done the event proud, she's helped change the model of breast cancer fundraising forever.

I never dreamed a joke between friends would end up where it has.  I remember being excited at making the first $75.00.  It was beyond my wildest imagination that a decade later, three additional zeros could be added to that amount!  But thanks to each and every one of you who have donated time, photos, word of mouth, and hard-earned dollars, this is something every single person who has been involved with the event one way or another can be proud of!  And I will be.  10 years from now.  20 years from now.  I will be humbled at everything the Boobie-Thon accomplished - for awareness, for sharing the stories of survival, and for the Cure - for the rest of my life.

Thanks for the mammories!

-Robyn Pollman
tampatantrum.com

The last pink light special

We have just over 4 hours left of the Boobie-Thon.  FOUR HOURS!  We retire at 11:59pm Eastern October 7th.  It's been a fabulous 10 years and I can't thank you all enough for your support and dedication to this little event.  

Since this is it.....donations of $25 or more will get the VIP Pay-Per-Boobie logins for 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011!  That is ALL bare access for $25 and a great cause.   GO DONATE! 

That’s what she said…

For the love of Boobie-Thon, we get so many awesome emails and tweets.  Here are just a few:

"Thanks for your volunteer work on this awesome project!"

"soooo sad to see you guys ending this awesome campaign. you have done so much to help with the breast cancer research. god bless you all."

"I think the work you are doing is wonderful "

"I'd like to thank you all for the years of hard work and dedication to the cause. I've had a couple of abnormal scans that turned out not to be cancer, but every time has been frightening. I've been a participant a number of years now, and I appreciate all the laughs and fun to get things together for all the submissions."

"Thanks for your work for this great cause."

"What your doing is great!"

"Sorry to hear you guys are closing this down. I've had a lot of fun participating the last couple of years. Good luck to you in every other endeavor you face! "

"say it isn't so?  say you'll be back. you all have done an amazing job and we thank you for your hardwork and dedication"

Virtual Raffle - Win an all new Kindle Fire

Have you seen the new Kindle Fire yet?  It's the new latest and greatest "tablet/reader" from Amazon.  I have a Kindle and I love it.  I love its simple nature and how its changed the frequency in which I read.  But given how things are going the way of the tablets, it was only a matter of time that Amazon decided to release a juiced up Kindle.   The Kindle Fire is light years ahead of the original with all new features:  

Have I enticed you yet?  Do you want to be the first one on your block to have one of the new Kindle Fires?  Of course you do!

Good, because there are some people who have graciously donated one new Kindle Fire (to be automatically delivered when it's released on November 15th) for us to raffle off.   

So how do you enter?  Simple.  

Here are the rules:  

That's it!  Easy Peasy.  Can you think of a better way to spend five bucks?  Your chances are better than winning the lottery, and you're not even saving boobies when you play the lottery.  

Good luck! 

I not only survived I thrive

Every October is my Birthday and a reminder that I am a Breast Cancer Survivor...I was first diagnosed on my birthday in 1993...then four years later I had a re-occurrence and then in the year 2000 another re-occurrence...I have been through the surgeries and the radiation and the chemo...the hair loss..Boob loss!!! .....all the ugly stuff that comes with treatment that you hope will eventually save your life.

We are standing by…

Just a quick update.  We have some new (and old) photos up in the covered gallery.  We thought it might be fun to take a look back at some photos from previous events, since this will be the last Boobie-Thon.  

We are here until 11:59pm Eastern October 7th, 2011 to take your donations. We are also taking photo submissions until 8pm Eastern October 7th, 2011, so there's still time to get them in. 

Thank you donors for your generous contributions.  Every dollar matters and we are so thankful you choose to support us again this year.  Just as a reminder, a $50 donation will give you access to the bare galleries from 2003 through 2011.  We also have $5 raffle tickets for a new Kindle Fire and of course, it wouldn't be the Boobie-Thon without a custom blog design from Moxie!

Bonding With Others Can Help You Beat Cancer

 Bonding With Others Can Help You Beat Cancer

Cancer can cause various forms of physical pain, but it is also emotionally draining. Whether you are going through cancer treatments or you are in remission, there are support groups that can ease the psychological difficulties you face daily. Cancer support groups and survivor networks allow you to make connections and get the help you need to face your illness.

The members of a cancer survivor network may meet in person, online or by phone. If you cannot physically attend meetings due to health issues, you can still share your experiences with others. Support groups are important facets of cancer treatment because they allow people with similar issues to bond and relate to each other. You can interact with others who face the same challenges that you do. 

Support groups assist people with various forms of cancer, including leukemia, breast cancer, and even rare forms of cancer such as mesothelioma. The Cancer Survivors Network, which can be accessed at http://csn.cancer.org, is a community of people facing all levels of the disease. Even those with a life expectancy that is low can find support. Regardless of your condition, there are others facing the same fears as you.

Joining a cancer survivor network provides countless benefits. Whether you connect with others in person, through the Internet or via telephone, you will receive endless encouragement. Speaking with people who understand your situation is an important step toward healing. You will receive emotional comfort, moral support and coping advice. You will also gain a better understanding of your situation and your options. 

Sharing with others in a support group will also reduce your loneliness, increase your sense of self-worth, and decrease the amount of tension or depression you may feel. You will also be given the opportunity to speak openly about your condition. This may provide help to others who are in the same position as you. Many support groups provide members with information about new medical options as well. 

If you are struggling with cancer, or if you are a survivor, you don’t have to walk your path alone. Cancer survivor networks and support programs are available to you. By speaking about your feelings, you can connect with others who may give you the energy to face each day. You can gain emotional power while learning about all the available treatment options. The knowledge and understanding you receive from support groups may encourage you in ways you never expected.

By: David Haas

We’ve got updates!

New pics in the bare and covered galleries.  

Have you donated yet?  If not, there's less than 48 hours left of Boobie-Thon, so what are you waiting for?

Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.

I'm not even sure where to start in making this announcement.  So I'm just going to say it.

The 10th Boobie-Thon (2011) will be the last.

It's hard to even type that.  This event has meant so much to me over the past 5 years that I've been coordinating it and so much to Robyn who started it.  The internet has changed so much since 2002, when you knew everyone in the blogging community and when you told someone about your blog, they looked at you all funny and said "What's a blog?".  Now, blogging and tweeting and facebooking is everywhere, in every corner of our lives.  And while we've had an amazing ride these past 10 years, both Robyn and myself feel like it's time to retire the Blogger Boobie-Thon.

What started as a joke turned into an amazing fundraiser to save lives and help fellow bloggers. It seems so cliche, but this has changed my life.  I've met some amazing women and have heard so many heartbreaking and touching stories in this past 5 years that will be with me forever. 

I can not thank all of YOU enough for being with us; for sharing with us; for blogging about us; for tweeting with us; for opening up your wallets; for taking off your tops.  We would have no Boobie-Thon if we didn't have you.  Thank you doesn't seem like enough.

And our volunteers through the years.  You all have blown me away with your generosity and support.  Thank you!  Thank you!

But, we still have work left to do now.  We shut down our doors at 11:59pm Eastern on October 7, 2011.  And of course we'd love for you to be here with us until the end.  Donations and Photos are still being accepted and we are still in this for 2 more days!  I hope you'll stick around. 

We’re waiting…

2011 is the TENTH anniversary of the Boobie-Thon, so the next TEN people to donate TEN dollars to either charity will receive the VIP pay-per-boobies login. 

On your mark......GO!

UPDATE:  Only FIVE left.  

UPDATE: ALL GONE

Sharing My Story :: Veronica

For almost 3 years now I'e been running the website www.BoobieWednesday.com and doing a weekly post on Twitter (@Boobiewed & @Boobiewednesday) to remind women and men to self exam.

Its always been about helping others to find the signs of breast cancer before its too late. In July of 2011 I went to my gynocologist for my yearly exam and she figured because I was getting ready to hit 40 in 2 weeks it was time for my annual mammogram. I went, they found something in the films. I went for a second one and it was still in the scans so they sent me for a biopsy. 

Ohhh HI!

We need your photos!  And your donations!  And your help!  

It’s a tweeting contest

So someone who shall remain anonymous, kindly donated a $30 Amazon Gift Card for us to use as a little incentive and since this was so popular last year, we're doing it again.  

The person who gets the celebrity who has the most followers to tweet/retweet a link to boobiethon.com will receive a $30 Amazon Gift Card.

Here are the details:

Get tweeting!

Day 4 is here

Wow, Day 4 already.  I can hardly believe it, as most of the past week has been a total blur. 

I think starting off on a weekend slowed things down a little, but we are here and ready to kick some ass. Let's move into high gear today!

There are a few things you can do to help, so if you have a chance please try to do at least ONE thing.  

We appreciate every single donation regardless of amount, so if you can only give $1 or $100, it all makes a difference. 

If you've submitted a photo, please submit more. Add a pink ribbon. Perhaps some whipped cream. Use your imagination.  We love creativity and we want more of it.  

If anyone also have any photo suggestions/requests, contact us , leave a comment here or tweet us and we'll post about it here/twitter/facebook and hopefully fulfill that request.  

Let's rock and roll.

Lights. Cameras.  Snap!

We are down to ZERO photos so we need your help ladies and gentleman.  Please get your cameras out and snap a few shots and send them in. Let your friends know too!  We'll love you for it.

Put on your pink light

We've got a pink light special to get you through this Monday afternoon sludge.  

The next 10 donations, of $10 or more, will get access to the VIP Pay-Per-Boobie gallery.  10 for $10! Ready, set. go.

Update: Only 8 THREE left!  And they're gone!

The Journey Shapes Us

Welcome to day three!

Good morning everyone.  We are starting off day 3 with some updates to both bare and covered galleries.  Thank you to all of the photo participants!

Donations through the weekend were over $2K. In case you missed, it we have a great Moxie Blog Giveaway (with custom illustration) that runs through the 7th -- be sure to get in on that! 

Now go donate!

Two grand

We just broke $2,000!!!  Thank you!

We have 18 new photos up in the VIP Pay-Per-Boobie section.  And more to go.  The covered gallery will also see one more update tonight. 

Keep your donations and photo submissions coming.