10th Annual Babes4Breasts Benefit Concert for Head Start Program
Ottawa, ON, September 29, 2016 – Join CBC TV’s Lucy van Oldenbarneveld as the host and emcee for the annual Babes4Breats (B4B) benefit concert being held October 14th in support of the Ottawa Integrative Cancer Centre (OICC). This year’s concert will be extra special. Celebrating B4B’s 10th birthday, it will feature ten artists – a mix of new faces, and beloved alumni.
The lineup reads like a who’s-who of Canadian music including multi-award winning Ann Vriend, Tara Holloway, NLX, and Ana Miura, and Juno nominated and/or recipients Lynn Miles, Leela Gilday, Amanda Rheaume, James Keelaghan, Annabelle Chvostek, and Kalle Mattson.
Through B4B’s annual concert, compilation albums, and various fundraising campaigns, over $140,000 has been raised to support women with breast cancer since 2007. Not bad for an event that started out as a little idea in the head of B4B founder Ana Miura.
$37,000 has been raised in the past two years specifically for the Babes4Breasts Head Start Program at the OICC. Head Start has so far provided much needed support for 65 women newly diagnosed with breast cancer. With proceeds from the B4B 2016 campaign, the OICC hopes another 75 women will be funded to participate in Head Start over the coming year.
“We have all been affected by breast cancer in one way or another,” said Miura. “We all know a mom, sister, friend. We are all called to help others in any way we can. For me, and for our incredible musicians, it’s through music.”
The connection to the cause runs deeply for Kalle Mattson. His mother passed away of breast cancer when he was only 16 years-old. Kalle Mattson is a Juno & Polaris Music Prize nominated singer/ songwriter. He has also won SOCAN’s songwriter of the Year in both 2012 and 2015. “I lost my mother to breast cancer when I was 16 years old,” said Mattson. “That loss has played a massive role in my work as a songwriter and has defined me as a person in many ways. I’m very excited to be performing at this year’s Babes4Breasts concert and to be able to share my songs, and my mother’s story.”
WHAT: Babes4Breasts 10th Annual Benefit Concert
WHERE: Saint Brigid’s Centre for the Arts, 310 St. Patrick St., Ottawa
WHEN: Doors Open: 7:30 pm; Concert Starts: 8:00 pm
All five volumes of the Babes4Breasts Compilation albums are available online at iTunes, CD Baby, as well as locally where B4B tickets are sold.
Support from the Greater Ottawa Community
The popular annual “Beau’s 4 Babes4Breasts at The Royal Oak” will kick off the lead-up community campaign through the concert from Monday, October 10th to Sunday October 23rd. The Royal Oak will be donating $0.25 from each pint and $0.75 from each pitcher of Beau’s at all locations, as well as $1 from the sale of the “Babes Burger” to the cause. Beau’s Brewery will be providing an additional 30% of keg sales for all Royal Oak locations during the two-week campaign. The Royal Oak and Beau’s (as they are affectionately referred to) are local organizations that regularly give back to our community in tandem with the patrons they serve.
About Babes4Breasts (B4B)
B4B is a group of like-minded Canadian recording artists who have come together to fight breast cancer through music. Our mission is to use the power of music to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer prevention, education, and support via conventional and integrative strategies, by way of a community-based approach. Since 2007, B4B has donated over $125,000 to a variety of breast cancer related charities.
About the Ottawa Integrative Cancer Centre (OICC)
The OICC is changing how people are living with cancer. The OICC approach to integrative cancer care enables people to live the best they can while undergoing hospital-based treatment, by reducing side effects, improving quality of life, and helping prevent recurrence. A not-for-profit organization, the OICC is leading the way in integrative cancer care and research, and is the first of its kind in central and eastern Canada. Awarded the two largest-ever integrative cancer care research grants in North America, the OICC is a game changer for cancer. www.oicc.ca
About Babes4Breasts Head Start Program
This five-week program was created by the OICC for women newly diagnosed with breast cancer. It supports and empowers women to be their best advocates, as they learn about the role of nutrition, natural health products, exercise, mind body techniques, stress management, and lifestyle modifications. Improving overall health outcomes and building resiliency are the cornerstones of this unique program. The Babes4Breasts Head Start Program is 100% subsidized with Babes4Breasts funding.
For more information:
Ana Miura
Babes4Breasts
Founder, Boss Babe
ana@babes4breasts.com
613-864-0516
Heidi Vincent
Ottawa Integrative Cancer Centre
Public Relations
613-293-3564
hvincent@oicc.ca
Jonathan Hatchell
CEO, Royal Oak Pubs
jonathanh@magma.ca