This particular campaign makes me smile a bit, as I’m publishing this post on the 1-year anniversary of my father’s passing due to cancer – he was a master licensed plumber, who often recommended to me the Grohe brand of plumbing fixtures whenever a home improvement project popped up. You’ll laugh, but I did in fact get a toilet and a kitchen sink as ‘gifts’ once from my father.  So odd as it may seem, a Grohe LadyLux3 Kitchen faucet just might be the gift that keeps on giving….

The plumbing fixture manufacturer GROHE recently announced its plans to help raise $250,000 for BCRF, through a campaign called “Hope Flows”, which pledges: “for every sale (through participating kitchen and bath showrooms) of GROHE Ladylux3 Plus and Ladylux3 Cafe kitchen faucets, GROHE will donate $25 (30 minutes of research time) to BCRF through the “Hope Flows” initiative.

GROHE’s goal is to raise $250,000 during the first year of the initiative to support BCRF’s efforts. GROHE’s projected contribution will fund a research project for an entire year. Additionally, GROHE employees, trade partners and consumers will be invited to make personal contributions to the Hope Flows campaign.”

You can buy the GROHE Ladylux3 Plus and Ladylux3 Cafe kitchen faucetsonline at these authorized dealers:

Grohe even went so far as to design a lovely website to promote their efforts:

Grohe Faucets Hope Flows Breast Cancer Research Fundraising Campaign

Further details:

Key to GROHE’s fundraising effort are two top-selling models in GROHE’s flagship Ladylux3 line – the Ladylux3 Cafe and Ladylux3 Plus. Available in different finishes and ideal for consumers desiring a transitional and high-quality kitchen faucet, Ladylux3 is the newest incarnation of GROHE’s original Ladylux faucet, the first pull-out design in America.

Also part of the fundraising effort – and serving as a visual icon for the “Hope Flows” campaign – is GROHE’s pink-faced Rainshower Icon hand shower available late in 2010.

Gather your girlfriends and create a team to walk for the cure. Gear up in matching outfits from these great stores, or order t-shirts, stickers and pink ribbon wristbands to sell as a fundraising item:

Choose from thousands of great breast cancer designs or upload your own at CafePress:

You go, girls!! Get cute breast cancer awareness team shirts at:

Create custom pink rubber silicone wristbands for breast cancer awareness:

Rubber Wristbands. You Pick the Colors, Phrase / Logo,
Min. 20, No Fees, In Under 10 Days Order now!

Avon Walk for a Cure Merchandise

Limited Edition City Lapel Pins: Collect them all! New for 2010 – Avon Walk collectable city pins!

Now you can collect a pin for every Avon Walk you-ve ever been to-or hope to go to! Trade them with fellow walkers, give them as a gift to your top donors, or to the babysitter who watched the kids while you walked. If you-re not walking, give a pin to someone who is to let them know how proud you are of them. Each pin features an iconic image of an Avon Walk city: Houston, Boston, Washington DC, Chicago, Rocky Mountains, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, New York, Charlotte.55% to 85% of the purchase price of this item is donated to the Avon Foundation Breast Cancer Crusade to support access to care and to help find a cure for breast cancer. Shop for all walk merchandise at:

Get Sassy! Over the top t-shirts and pink ribbon products available & customizable at Zazzle:

DOWNLOAD NOW >>

The unique app turns an iPhone’s dial pad pink and includes information tabs on how to do a breast self-exam, as well as, the importance of early detection, an active lifestyle and other tips on increasing your odds against breast cancer. Similar to wearing a pink ribbon or bracelet, sporting a pink phone will show the world that you support B4BC and breast cancer awareness.

Hawkins, a B4BC friend and supporter, has a long list of skateboarding accolades and achievements. Most significantly, she is the reigning gold medalist in Women’s Vert at the 2009 X Games. She also won X Games gold in 2007 and silver in 2008. She is one of the few females featured in Tony Hawk’s popular video game series, and appears in several skateboarding DVDs including Getting Nowhere Faster.

The app is available for $0.99 with a percentage of the proceeds benefiting B4BC efforts. To download, search “pink phone” at the iTunes app store >>

JellyBelly Beans: Help Punch Out Breast Cancer!

If you’re participating in a walk, bike or run for the cure fundraising event, you may want to buy these to stash in your pocket to refuel yourself along the way, share and spread hope to others while you’re at it!Formulated with the fantastic flavor of JellyBelly jelly beans, the Fruit Punch flavor sport beans also offer vitamins B, C and electrolytes, making them great for exercise.

For just $24 for a 24 pack, it’s a deal you can’t pass up, especially when 5% of the sales (up to $40,000) of Fruit Punch Sport Beans Energizing Jelly Beans goes to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®.

The larger 48 pack  box is already out of stock, so you just may want to Buy these now >>

In the fight against breast cancer, there are many celebrities speaking out or raising awareness, and many more mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, aunts, friends and spouses who simply want to share their story, support breast cancer awareness and raise money for many deserving breast cancer organizations and charities.

With that in mind, here is a collection of a wide variety of pink rubber wristbands and silicone breast cancer bracelets with different imprinted sayings, and where to buy them.

Breast Cancer Bracelets by Message

Inspirational and motivational sayings imprinted on pink silicone rubber wristbands:

1. 

   Livve Long Breast Cancer Bracelets

   Livve Long Breast Cancer Gel Bracelet (Pink)

   “Livve Long…Support Breast Cancer Research and Education” is inscribed on each band. Contributions from Livve Long go to an official “501 c 3″ Charity.On sale for $1 ea through October 31st.

2. 

   LiveLong Breast Cancer Awareness Bracelet

   Livelong Breast Cancer Awareness Wristband Another play on the LiveStrong rubber wristband, featuring pink ribbon logo and debossed font. $5.95 each.

3. 

   Pink Ribbon Rubber Wristbands

   Pink Ribbon Silicone Bracelets Bulk package $24.95 for 50 breast cancer bracelets for fundraising. Faith, Hope, Love plus Pink Ribbon embossed.

4. 

   Find the Cure Wristband

   Breast Cancer Awareness Wristband Hot pink rubber bracelet with “Find the Cure” message.

5. 

   24 Pink Rubber Bracelets for $4.87

   Breast Cancer Sayings Rubber Bracelets Pink Perfect for gifts to friends, family and coworkers or resell during a fundraising event.
   Or, get a larger order of these breast cancer awareness pink ribbon bracelets 144 for $24.95 now>>

6. 

   Survivor, Hope, Strength, Faith Pink Rubber Wristbands

   Breast Cancer Awareness Rubber Bracelet Assorted Messages – Survivor, Hope, Strength, Faith. Start at just 98cents ea. down to 30cents each when you order 480 or more for fundraising events.

7. 

   Pink Jelly Breast Cancer Wristband

   Beating the Odds Together Jelly Wristband Message of hope inscribed. $1.99 ea

8. 

   Believe in a Cure for Breast Cancer Bracelet

   “Believe” Breast Cancer Bracelet Pink Rubber wristband with “believe” message to support finding a cure for breast cancer. $4.95

9. 

   Support Breast Cancer Research & Education Bracelet

   Support Breast Cancer and Education Bracelet Pink Rubber wristband that says it all for $5.95 ea.

10. 

    Available in TWO Shades of Pink, or custom colors

    You Pick the Colors, Phrase / Logo Order minimum is 20. Bulk pricing and savings the more you order, with no set up fees. Available in Under 10 Days! Order now

11. 

    Pink Bracelets available for Breast Cancer Awareness

    Customize your own breast cancer wristband for fundraising, with the large order minimum (1000 just $.28 cents each!) at branders.com. 35 Day turnaround

Breast Cancer Bracelets by Specific Organizations

• The Pink Bracelet fund – the “Be Strong MLE” -Melissa Etheridge
• Imagine – “Imagine life without Breast Cancer” -Susan G Komen

Note: while many of these sites do donate a portion of the sales of these pink rubber wristbands to various breast cancer organizations and charities, other retailers listed might sell silicone breast cancer bracelets in bulk or at a discounted price per bracelet, so that they may be re-sold to raise money for local charities and fundraising events.

Reese Witherspoon sporting the AVON breast cancer walk boat t-shirt. Click to buy! Just$20

It’s the first Saturday in October, and that means all across the country, people are walking, running and biking in mass numbers to raise awareness for breast cancer, as well as raising money for a host of breast cancer research and support organizations. Today’s pink pick(s) – plural, because I couldn’t pick just one thing- come from AVON, one of the leading supporters and hosts of breast cancer walks nationwide.

All of the net proceeds from the sale of Avon Walk for Breast Cancer merchandise (57% of the purchase price of the HOT Pink tshirt featured on the left) are donated to the Avon Foundation Breast Cancer Crusade to support access to care and finding a cure for breast cancer.

Click here to buy the AVON Hot Pink Breast Cancer T-Shirt now for $20. And check out the other AVON breast cancer awareness products below to get geared up for an AVON Walk for Breast Cancer event:

Warm Up & Cool Down w/ AVON Performance Fleece for Breast Cancer Awareness walks. Buy it now for $65 >>

If there’s a chance it will be chilly on the day of your local fundraising walk, consider this grey performance fleece pullover. Left chest embroidery with Avon Walk for Breast Cancer logo. Available in GREY. Unisex sizes.All of the net proceeds from the sale of Avon Walk for Breast Cancer merchandise (64% of the purchase price of this fleece) are donated to the Avon Foundation Breast Cancer Crusade to support access to care and finding a cure for breast cancer.

Buy the AVON Walk for Breast Cancer Fleece Jacket now for $65 >>

AVON Walk for Breast Cancer SURVIVOR Hat - $15

Protect yourself from the elements while letting people know that you are a breast cancer survivor. 78% of the purchase price of this item is returned to the breast cancer cause.

AVON Walk for Breast Cancer Baseball Hat - Buy it Now >>

Buy the AVON Breast Cancer Survivor hat or look for another style, like this cute chocolate and pink hat – all are $15:

Complete your walking outfit with the official New Balance Pink Ribbon Sneaker to benefit Susan G Komen:

Christina Applegate Breast Cancer Survivor -photo by flickr user CC

Since her very public battle with breast cancer last year, and radical (and controversial) decision* to undergo a double mastectomy, Christina Applegate became the latest celebrity to become a spokesperson for the disease, and help raise awareness and research funds through a number of charitable organizations.In 2009, Christina Applegate became the official ambassador for Lee National Denim Day, which takes place on Friday October 2, 2009.

Christina Applegate talks about Lee Denim Day, her improvement in her overall health, revealed her twitter handle (she said Christina Applegate wasn’t available! we’re following all your Denim & #BCAM tweets now!) and shakes her booty in a recent visit to the Ellen DeGeneres show:

It’s not to late to get your company or school on board to participate in National Denim Day, go here to set up your team and donate your $5. Do it even if your company didn’t organize an official denim day or if you forgot to wear jeans on Friday, October 2, 2009. And mark your calendar to sign up for National Denim Day 2010.

You can also become a fan of Lee National Denim Day on Facebook.

13 Years of Denim Day

In the 13 years since the inaugural Lee National Denim Day, Lee National Denim Day has raised more than $75 million for the fight against breast cancer and unites nearly one million supporters nationwide each year. You can also shop online for for Women’s Lee Jeans.

*personally, I completely support and applaud Christina Applegate’s decision to go for the double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery, despite the fact that she was fortunate enough to be in the early detection club. I wouldn’t think twice about doing the same  if I am ever in her position, given a similar family history.

Ever since the As Seen On TV product became a selling sensation (even if it is because of its slightly humorous appeal) informally to formally organized “Snuggie Pub Crawls” started popping up across the nation. Massive groups of Snuggie enthusiasts have been seen in various locales toasting to its toasty-ness!

This month, in honor of the 2009 Limited Edition Pink Ribbon Snuggie™ to benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation coinciding with the nation’s annual Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a group of us decided to organize and host our own Pink Ribbon Snuggie Pub Crawl in Salt Lake City, Utah on October 23rd, 2009. Our goals for this event are to: have a ton of fun, raise awareness for breast cancer, and hopefully, also raise a little money for a local breast cancer organization along the way.

We know what you’re thinking – but wait, you can’t have a pub crawl in Salt Lake City, Utah! Thanks to the private club scrubbing power of the Utah lawmakers, ever since July 1st, memberships to Utah bars are a thing of the past. It’s easier than ever to enjoy an adult beverage or Designated Driver dr pepper at the libation station of your choice. This fact has been scientifically proven by the large bar crawl event held in July to celebrate the change in the laws:

We’ll be setting up our official stops (although I think it will be far less than 14) in the next few weeks, setting up potential donations from the hosts bars or anyone else who wants to contribute, to be donated to a local Salt Lake City organization dedicated to breast cancer awareness and support. While we won’t have the advantage of free bus transportation and cab fare, we encourage anyone attending one of these events to drink responsibly and have a designated driver.

You too, can plan your own October 23rd Pink Ribbon Snuggie Pub Crawl for Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2009 in just THREE easy steps:

1. Secure a pink ribbon Snuggie for yourself and tell your friends.
2. Read these tips on how to plan a successful Snuggie Pub Crawl.
3. See if you can set up a fundraising effort with pub hosts or create a donation page for your local event, and find a local breast cancer related charity to support.

Even if you don’t set up a formal fundraiser, you can still organize or participate in a Pink Ribbon Snuggie Pub Crawl to raise awareness and have a blast doing it.

Tell us where you’ll be participating a Pink Ribbon Snuggie Pub Crawl on October 23rd to spread the word! We’ll be posting updates leading up to the event including details on the SLC, UT Snuggie Pub Crawl, as well as listing locations of other pink crawls, and we’ll tell you where to upload your pics from the festivities.

You can visit the SLC UT pink ribbon SNUGGIE facebook event page here.

Pink Ribbon Snuggie for Breast Cancer Research Foundation

Pink Snuggie Blanket – Purchase Benefits the Breast Cancer Research Foundation>> Click to buy now

The Limited Edition Pink Ribbon Snuggie™ blanket not only keeps you warm and comfy but it also helps in the fight against breast cancer! $50,000 from the sales of the Pink Snuggie™ blanket will be donated to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®. BCRF is dedicated to preventing breast cancer and finding a cure in our lifetime by funding clinical and translational research worldwide. For more info about BCRF, Visit www.bcrfcure.org The Snuggie™ keeps you totally warm and gives you the freedom to use your hands. Work the remote, use your laptop or do some reading in total warmth and comfort! Snuggie™ is made with super soft, thick, luxurious fleece with roomy, oversized sleeves that let you do what you want while still being totally wrapped in warmth.

Because it’s bound to be a popular pink ribbon product this year, and it’s not currently available on the official Snuggie website, it may sell out quite quickly being available only through a limited number of retailers. You can also find the Pink Ribbon Edition Snuggie at these local stores or shop online now and compare sale prices:

• Kmart, Sears.com – Pink Ribbon Snuggie
• Amazon.com – Pink Ribbon SNUGGIE for Breast Cancer Awareness

Get a Pink Ribbon Snuggie today, and get ready to participate in the first-ever nationwide Snuggie Pub Crawl for Breast Cancer Awareness!

Read more about PinkTober at Melissa Etheridge's Official Site

Singer / songwriter Melissa Etheridge has been one of the most recognizable celebrity faces in the battle against breast cancer, particularly since enduring her own battle with the disease, being diagnosed in October 2004.

Ever since then, she’s lent her name and musical talents to a variety of breast cancer awareness fundraising efforts and charities.

For October 2009 breast cancer awareness month, she graces the cover of the Delta Sky in-flight magazine, and Melissa Etheridge has donated for auction an autographed, one of a kind pink ribbon guitar strap – the one she wears in the cover shot, was designed by Carlos Falchi. All proceeds go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundaton – click on the photo below to bid in the auction:

Melissa Etheridge Breast Cancer Awareness Autographed Guitar Strap for Auction

As a loyal Delta SkyMiles member, I’ve applauded all their past breast cancer awareness efforts – from pink ribbon planes to special pink scarves on flight attendants to the breast cancer bracelets they sold in the name of a coworker lost to breast cancer. I’ve written about Delta’s Breast Cancer Awareness efforts previously here.

Besides the October 2009 Delta Sky Mag feature (which I’ll get to read when I fly to NYC on Sunday -if you aren’t flying in October, sign up here for the online newsletter version), Delta Airlines also joined with Melissa Etheridge to kick off its fifth year of support for The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) Sept. 29 by lighting the New York-JFK air traffic control tower in pink and honoring breast cancer survivors with a live in-flight performance by Hard Rock International PINKTOBER™ Ambassador Melissa Etheridge.

Delta will be joined by Etheridge, BCRF, and representatives from The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey at 5 p.m. EDT, Sept. 29 to light the exterior of the New York-JFK air traffic control tower in pink. Immediately following the lighting ceremony, Delta will host a charter flight for employee breast cancer survivors aboard its signature “pink plane” from JFK to Washington D.C.-Reagan National Airport. While in flight, Etheridge will perform a special acoustic rendition of her hit single “I Run for Life.”

“It is inspiring to our employees and customers to become increasingly involved in raising awareness and funds for this important cause,” said Joanne Smith, senior vice president of In-Flight Service. “Launching this year’s breast cancer awareness campaign in New York continues our growing support and presence in the city. After ‘painting’ JFK’s control tower pink, having Melissa perform in-flight will be an emotional, heartwarming experience.”

Delta’s “pink” flight between New York and Washington is the first in a series of activities planned throughout October to commemorate Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Thousands of Delta flight attendants will don pink t-shirts and pink versions of the airline’s red dress to offer pink lemonade to customers for $2 on flights worldwide, with net proceeds benefiting BCRF. Co-branded Delta and BCRF pink products, including pink luggage tags, tumblers, aprons and pens, also will be available beginning Sept. 15 at www.deltashop.com for $2-$16 to benefit BCRF.

Delta’s distinctive pink-and-white Boeing 757 aircraft, the “pink plane,” featuring BCRF’s trademarked pink ribbon logo on the tail of the aircraft and adjacent to the boarding door, first took flight in 2005. Since then, it has flown throughout the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean to generate awareness for the cause. In that time, Delta has raised nearly $1.5 million for BCRF through donations from customers, employees and The Delta Foundation, the airline’s charitable organization. The donations have funded the work of five researchers dedicated to the mission of achieving prevention and finding a cure for breast cancer.