Save the Women
It’s week three of Helptober (admittedly the worst theme month name we could’ve come up with), and we have a special spotlight on one of our members, her battle with breast cancer, her survivor-inspired swimsuit company and her new fight: defying metastatic breast cancer with her Save the Women campaign.
But first… Our very own La Jolla Sports Club Personal Trainer, Group X instructor, cancer-crusher and the sweetest person you’ll ever meet, Mare, is doing a special donation-based class, BodyPump to Beat Breast Cancer, this Friday, October 21 @ 5pm. Sign up at the Front Desk, and sweat away the week for a good cause!
And a huge thank you to all who donated and / or attended our first annual Bike for MS event. With your help, we raised $2000, all of which will go to helping find a cure for Multiple Sclerosis.
This is not the first, nor will it be the last time we say it, but the members of La Jolla Sports Club really do make this place an amazing place to be. THANK YOU for all you do.
La Jolla Sports Club member, Dana Dinerman, is a fighter. She also happens to be: a mom; a wife; a designer; CEO of Hulabelle, a swimsuit line developed specifically for women who have undergone mastectomy surgery; and now striking back against Stage IV metastatic cancer with the Save the Women campaign (more on that in a bit).
Hulabelle was inspired by Dana’s personal battle with breast cancer. A San Diego native, Dana naturally enjoyed the beaches and well-made and -designed swimsuits. A few months after healing from chemotherapy, Dana and her family planned a celebratory trip to Maui. Dana decided a new swimsuit was in order, but realized pretty quickly that the physical remnants of her battle with breast cancer made the seemingly simple task of buying a swimsuit impossible. And while there were companies out there that specialized in swimsuits for mastectomies, they weren’t comfortable or fashionable. Enter: Dana, and her already-proven ability to overcome challenges.
After sketching some designs, learning basics of sewing garments and researching the industry by talking to fellow survivors and industry professionals, Hulabelle was created. The suits offer UVB50 sun protection; built-in shelf bras with two different types of pockets–the larger pocket for optional prosthetics and the second, smaller pocket for a wedge which can offer symmetry; and are perfect for those in need of coverage in the upper-chest area. Oh, and they also look great!
Save the Women evolved from Dana’s fight. Here she is in her own words:
‘Just this past couple of months, about four years later roughly, I have been re-diagnosed with another lump in my neck and small nodules under my arm, in my chest wall, and in my lungs. The doctor has yet to call me metastatic, although it has been toyed with, since we are not sure if the spot in my lung is cancer, as it is too small to biopsy. We are back on the same meds from before and so far it is working again. Yet, what happens after this treatment? I had four years the last time and my doctor said to me he is not sure the oral med I will be switched to will work. Do I have to go back on chemo again? Will they run out of drugs? Will I want to give up? Will my body give up from all the wear and tear? This is the road of someone who has to deal with cancer in their life. It is not a party, it is not glitter and ribbons, it is not about saving the boobies. This is about saving a life. There are many women like myself who are living their lives, relying on different meds since cancer is a smart bastard–it can change at any moment. We need endless amounts of options, we need research, we need help. So, I now have decided to wage a war on metastatic breast cancer… It has killed too many women in my life. It has been tormenting too many of my friends and survivor sisters. We are going to save the women… Will you join me and save the women with me? Because if you do, you might be saving my life.’
Read her blog to see how you can get involved and Save the Women.
Do you want to share your story or share advice from your own challenges and battles? Leave a comment below or let us know if you’d like to be featured!
Have a safe, fun rest of the week / end, and we’ll see you next post!
// Your La Jolla Sports Club team
