Grand Slam Combination

No one needs a reason to shop, but it’s more justifiable when it’s for a good cause. For the seventh consecutive year, Back in the Swing returns with its week-long extravaganza in October.

No one needs a reason to shop, but it's more justifiable when it's for a good cause. For the seventh consecutive year, Back in the Swing returns with its week-long extravaganza in October.

Back in the Swing is a nonprofit organization, completely and impressively volunteer-based, that helps raise money to fund clinical research and breast cancer survivorship programs, with an overall goal of promoting a healthy and active lifestyle after cancer. Retail therapy, or shopping, is one way to help more than 2.5 million breast cancer survivors positively plan for the future.

“Because 100 percent of the proceeds from Back in the Swing stays in the Kansas City area, the services funded here are some of the best in the nation,” says Lesa Shipman, volunteer for the Breast Cancer Survivorship Center at KU Cancer Center and a breast cancer survivor. “Examples of just a few of these resources include medical supplies, clothing, wigs, lymphedema products, art therapy, yoga, exercise classes and therapeutic massage.”

The money raised from this year's Back in the Swing Retail Therapy event will go to several local hospitals and organizations that provide survivorship programs. The 2009 grant recipients are Saint Luke's Cancer Institute, Shawnee Mission Medical Center, Truman Medical Centers, The Breast Cancer Survivorship Center at The University of Kansas Cancer Center, the Now What!? Center at North Kansas City Hospital, Cancer Action and Turning Point.

“No one should have to face breast cancer treatment and survival alone or without the help and support that makes living more joyful,” says Fran Jaeger, who has her doctorate in public health and is program director for the Women's Health Center of Excellence at Truman Medical Centers. “Financial assistance from Back in the Swing helps to ensure that our Patient Navigator Program has the staff to work with breast cancer patients and survivors as well as their families, serving in such roles as listener, counselor, advocate, problem solver, supporter and friend.”

Teresa Kelly is another breast cancer survivor who knows firsthand the benefits of these types of programs. “I was able to take art and movement and wellness classes; those types of programs are so buoyant and joy-filled,” says Teresa, who also is a Cancer Action volunteer and Energy Balance program participant at the Breast Cancer Survivorship Center at KU. “It provides a safe place and brings hope and peace and inspires you to be who you are in the moment.” Teresa is three years out from her diagnosis.

After hearing, or even witnessing, a life-changing story like Lesa's or Teresa's and finding out how beneficial each program or organization is for individuals and families affected by cancer, it's easy to see why so many participate in Back in the Swing. “As a direct recipient of the programs funded by Back in the Swing, I am happy to focus all of my volunteer efforts with this organization. The difference they make is tangible,” Lesa adds. This year she's a co-captain on a card-selling team and a volunteer at the Plaza Art Fair.

Hereford House, with several locations throughout the area, is one of many restaurants opening its doors for the event. “Cancer impacts so many of us today, directly or indirectly,” says Rod Anderson, owner of Pierpont's and Hereford House restaurants. “I would estimate that there are few people who have not been exposed to someone close to them who has battled cancer.
Back in the Swing is a small effort on our part and all the vendors who participate to give those with cancer continued hope that better treatment and more cures are around the corner.”

Each discount card is $25 and can be purchased at a variety of stores in the Kansas City area. After reading this article, hop in your car and drive to the nearest location (see website for participants) to buy a card — or several. “It's good for the community to know that every penny spent on a card goes to help people like me,” Teresa says. “I will shout from the highest mountain in support of this program.”

Taking It to the National Level
Back in the Swing is the first and only of its kind, and with as much success as it's garnered throughout the years in Kansas City, the organization is receiving national attention — and lots of it.

With national sponsors Pfizer, Jazzercise, Christopher Elbow Artisanal Chocolates, Gerson Companies, Demdaco, AstraZeneca, CBIZ and Indigo Wild, initiatives for the 2009-2010 year have been set up to pass along the skills, knowledge and amount of care required to launch survivorship centers and organizations around the country.

“Gratitude comes from the transformation I've seen in what's been done locally, with health care providers who have stepped up to the plate and opened up their practices, saying we need to change and create this new kind of health care. That took them thinking about the lives of breast cancer survivors in a new way — beyond the disease,” says Back in the Swing founder Barbara Unell. “For even one single person who's gone through cancer treatment, it's a cosmic shift, a new  way of looking at life after cancer. It's encouraging that something like this can happen. The possibility of it is so energizing.”

Besides national media campaigns, translational materials and fundraising events that will be held to increase awareness and education for survivorship health care, local experts like Barbara and her husband, Bob, along with industry and medical professionals, will collaborate on how they too can implement events like Back in the Swing in their communities. Initiatives include collaborative breast cancer survivorship research, medical training modules, Back in the Swing working groups, oncology nurse training curriculum and breast cancer survivor research registry.

For more in-depth information on each of the national initiatives, visit www.backintheswing.org.