Earlier this year, March to be precise, we introduced you to Kat Thompson, breast cancer survivor and So Brave model ambassador about being chosen for the 2019 So Brave calendar. Now seven months later the calendar is complete and Kat features in a national body paint artwork calendar to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer in young women.

This will be the third fund-raising calendar for Australia’s Young Woman’s Breast Cancer Charity-So Brave who raise awareness and funding for breast cancer research whilst empowering young breast cancer survivors.

Kat Thompson was only forty years old when diagnosed with breast cancer. Recently she was transformed by a body-paint artist for the calendar which officially launched in Melbourne in September.

Kat says: “The reason I chose to participate in the So Brave 2019 breast cancer fundraising calendar is when I finished months of grueling treatment I was so relieved it was all over, I was done, I was so happy. I could put all this unpleasantness behind me and move on with my life. What was I going to do? How was I able to pay it forward? I had to do something, I had to help others that may be in the same position that I’d been in.

At my first chemo treatment I was given a So Brave calendar by my breast care nurse. I had been feeling so grey and yuck and here was this brightly coloured calendar with beautiful young women who had been down the same path, taken similar journeys to me and they were smiling and living their lives. I was so inspired by it all and thought to myself, if they could get through all this nastiness then I could too, it really helped with me wanting to stay positive and believe in myself and that I would get through it. I had to believe that. I went home after chemo and put my
calendar up on the wall in my kitchen so I could look at it every day and be reminded of the colour in the world and help support myself through the journey I was taking. It worked. I joined So Brave and haven’t looked back. If I can help even one young woman be breast aware and help prevent breast cancer in any way, then that’s what I’ll do.

Throughout my journey so far, I have held the belief that whatever happened it would be ok, my four daughters would be great, their life wouldn’t be changed too much from this horrible illness, my relationship became stronger, I adored my girls more and now I’m living my life again as I believed I would”.

Kat added: “My page sponsor for April 2019 is Kingston Estate and I am very thankful for all their support.”

Each year So Brave creates a captivating fundraising calendar featuring twelve young women who are breast cancer survivors. The women are transformed with body art and are photographed for the annual fundraising calendar. The photographs depict the metamorphosis that each young
woman has gone through during their body paint photo-shoot and breast cancer journey.

Young breast cancer survivor, CEO and Founder of So Brave, Rachelle Panitz, states:

“The calendar is a celebration of the women and of their bravery in facing breast cancer and in sharing in this body-painting experience to raise awareness and money to fight this disease. Our young breast cancer survivors truly are SO BRAVE”. So Brave has transformed thirty-six young breast cancer survivors. All survivors were diagnosed with breast cancer before they turned forty.

The 2019 calendar features young women from Tasmania, Victoria, NSW, Queensland, WA, and South Australia. This is the first time that models from WA and Tasmania have been selected.

Rachelle concludes: “2018 has been an incredible year of growth for So Brave and we are thrilled to be able to bring our beautiful imagery and mission to raise awareness to even more communities across Australia.”

“Our body-painted young breast cancer survivors are iconic to our brand and signify the amazing beauty, strength and bravery of these young women. We hope to continue to raise awareness across Australia and fund vital research and education to ensure the next generation has a better diagnosis, prevention, treatment and monitoring for breast cancer.”

“Funds raised from the sale of the 2019 Calendar will go to So Brave’s mission programs of empowerment, education, and advocacy and directly funding breast cancer research.”

For further details about the organisation and the calendar go to: https://sobrave.com.au/

So Brave Local Launch – Cocktail Party

Friday, October 26

6.30pm at the Hervey Bay Boat Club

Tickets available online at frasercoasttickets.com.au

or via my face-book page:

So Brave Model Ambassador Hervey Bay – Kat Thompson.

“I always had to believe that after my treatment I would live life to the fullest and give back something to the world, I believe that through my work with So Brave I can help other young women be breast aware and bring a little bit of colour into the grey world of breast cancer treatment for young women experiencing this”. – Kat Thompson