STARLIGHT PRINT // in support of BREAST CANCER AWARENESS 🌟🎀

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, a time to educate yourself on the signs and symptoms of this ugly monster, and learn what more you can do to support those affected.

This year alone, around 55 Australians will be diagnosed with breast cancer each day. That's over 20,000* new cases just in 2020; a very scary statistic. While it's one of our most common cancers here in Oz, it's also important to note that early detection is key, and survival rates are on the rise as a result of increased awareness. ENTER this year's breast cancer print, STARLIGHT. She's here to start the conversation, to get you thinking, and to raise money for breast cancer support networks around the world.

For as long as JOLYN's been a thing, we've dreamed of doing a print specifically to raise money for breast cancer and for the past 4 years we've been stoked that we could make it happen!

OUR GOAL: RAISING BREAST CANCER AWARENESS & DONATIONS WITH A NEW SWIMWEAR PRINT

This year's breast cancer awareness swim print is inspired by affected women, and women in general, basically being literal superheroes while battling cancer (and tbh all the time). When a gal gets CANCER she's this incredible fearless superhuman kicking her treatments ass and taking names, oh and in her spare time she's doing half marathons for cancer research, started her own charity, and is a legit social media influencer raising awareness!

WHY WE LOVE BREAST CANCER ANGELS

So our NEW Starlight print is for all our breast cancer fighting superheroes out there, POWER TO YA! 50% of profits from sales of our Starlight print are also being donated directly to Breast Cancer Angels. BCA is a smaller Southern California organisation around the corner from the original JOLYN HQ that was initially found through asking one of our teammates whose mum battled (and beat) breast cancer if she had gotten help from any charities. She said Breast Cancer Angels was a saving grace for her during that time and it's no surprise why. 

While larger organisations tend to focus on finding a cure to the disease, BCA helps women going through treatment now with everyday things you wouldn't really think about until you had to face cancer yourself. Things like paying for medical bills (you have a lot of those if you have cancer). Other stuff like paying for medications, groceries, and sometimes even child care (so your kids are taken care of while you go to doctors appointments) among an entire list of other incredibly helpful things. They're basically your friend and safety net in a time that is super challenging for you and your family mentally, physically and emotionally. For these reasons, we can't think of a better organisation to donate to and support. 

So in conclusion, this October, first and foremost check yo'self (learn what to look for in a breast self-examination here) because early detection is a key step to stealing cancer's thunder. And after you do that, consider donating to a breast cancer charity. Aside from Breast Cancer Angels, our favourite local heroes here in Australia are Breast Cancer Network Australia [BCNA], Cancer Council Australia, and National Breast Cancer Foundation [NBCF], although there are so many more hard working charity organisations beyond worthy of your support. If you find yourself needing a new suit and you feel so inclined, get yourself one of our STARLIGHT printed swimsuits, with 50% of the profits from sales donated to Breast Cancer Angels. New suit + donating to a good cause = an unmatchable level of feel good vibes.

*according to Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2020. Cancer data in Australia, summary: www.aihw.gov.au/reports/cancer/cancer-data-in-australia