Annually across the nation October is widely recognized as Breast Cancer Awareness month. In Montana a local non-profit BCA (Breast Cancer Awareness) has their largest fundraiser Art Gala in the fall to raise money for Breast Cancer books, distribution of these books and their ongoing campaign to reach survivors to help offer support and education. BCA now has an active Facebook page and with funds raised this year, and by January 2025 will be launching a new website and PSA Campaign. On Facebook you can find the group under Breast Cancer Awareness and the new web site (under construction) is mtbca.org.
This year’s campaign included a T-Shirt Drive getting out the messages of “We Fight Together” and “Faith Over Fear.” This has been very successful. In the past two months many shirts have sold but are still available online or at Inge’s Fashions in Great Falls. BCA also has a broad group of survivors and supporters who want Montana women to know there is a breast cancer group out there with helpful information and support.
This year’s Gala was held on September 28, 2024 at the Elks Club in downtown Great Falls. Fun was had by all with raffles, 50-50, games, a silent auction, a dessert auction, a quick finish, and a live auction by Jim Eli. Delicious delectable appetizers were catered by Clark and Lewies while the band, Toast, rounded out the evening with fine music. Approximately forty pieces of art were auctioned off in the live auction along with other items and over 100 items were bid on in the silent auction. Many cancer survivors were present and were able to bond with others who have gone through similar journeys.
Lorell Heckman (whose husband Rocky died from brain cancer) spoke at the event about the Perseverance, Character, Hope award that her non-profit Rocky’s Road, created to honor someone annually who has not only faced great adversity, but who is dedicated to helping others. This year that award was presented to Hope Good, (the founder of BCA) at the Big Sky Pro Rodeo in August. After Lorell spoke, Hope took the stage to explain how BCA was created to empower women in their breast cancer journey. Women survivors in the crowd were encouraged to stand. Emcee Scott Swanke, who has been involved as a supporter of the group called the event “Epic.”
Since 2015, BCA has published thousands of complimentary educational booklets (about understanding the diagnoses, as well as risks, and treatments for breast cancer patients and their families). These book have been distributed throughout Great Falls and the surrounding region and this fall new booklets will be distributed across Montana.
The BCA board would like to thank everyone who helped with the event, everyone who supported them by sponsoring a table or silent auction item, all the artists who donated their time or art, and all who donated time or money to the cause. BCA booklets are available in Great Falls at local medical centers, Treasure State Lifestyles Montana magazine racks, Inge’s Fashions, Floors & More, as well as in Lewistown at Central Montana Family Planning. If you would like copies for yourself or your business, call (406) 868-9649.