ICanServe Foundation’s two-week-long exhibition will culminate in an auction featuring pieces by contemporary Filipino artists.
For 25 years, the ICanServe Foundation has advocated for early breast cancer detection. Since 1999, they have already touched the lives of over 300,000 women.
To celebrate this milestone, the foundation has opened a gallery for good called The Pink Room. The exhibit features 27 pairs of Nike Air Force 1 Triple White shoes transformed into one-of-a-kind art pieces by contemporary Filipino artists.
The impressive roster is led by National Artist Benedicto “BenCab” Cabrera. Many of these artists have some sort of connection to cancer. Two of them are breast cancer survivors themselves, while others have close loved ones who have battled the disease.
BenCab is joined by artists Arce, Carlo Tanseco, Daniel Dela Cruz, Gerry Tan, Jinggoy Buensuceso, Katrina Cuenca, Manny Garibay, Melissa Yeung Yap, Monica Delgado, Plet Bolipata, Ronald Ventura, Tracie Anglo Dizon, Lilianna Manahan, Ciane Xavier, Carlo Calma, Christina Dy, Elmer Borlongan, Gus Albor, Jose Santos III, Lydia Velasco, Max Balatbat, MM Yu, Pam Yan Santos, RM De Leon, Toym Imao, and Vien Valencia.
On September 14, 2024 at 6 pm, a live auction and raffle will be held at Brittany Hotel BGC. Proceeds from the auction will fund treatments and medical procedures for breast cancer patients. It will also help launch high-impact literacy campaigns, invest in training public healthcare workers on early detection, and create breast cancer control programs.
A Meaningful Cause
“It’s been an inspiring journey, witnessing ICanServe grow from four breast cancer survivors, sharing our own personal journeys and supporting each other over coffee dates, to a thriving force in breast cancer control in the nation,” Crisann Celdran, co-founder and chair of ICanServe tells Lifestyle Asia.
The foundation’s flagship project Ating Dibdibin is still at the heart of their work. The community-based cancer control program promotes early detection, access to timely and affordable treatments, patient navigation, and supportive and survivorship care.
“By partnering with the local government, we aim to lower the incidence and mortality due to breast cancer and improve the quality of life of the survivor,” Celdran adds.
In 2019, ICanServe lobbied to pass the National Integrated Cancer Control Act. Another milestone was the Silver Linings national cancer forum. The event allowed breast cancer survivors to share resources and knowledge while celebrating life and resilience.
25 Years and Beyond
“We aimed to do something different, something that would captivate a more diverse audience than we’re used to,” Celdran says, when asked what sparked the idea behind The Pink Room.
“We thought it would be a unique and fitting choice for our 25th-anniversary celebration and a chance to kickstart a six-month-long awareness campaign. Our gallery is not just a celebration or an opportunity to raise funds but a unique experience that we hope will leave one inspired.”
The exhibit is filled with works by celebrated artists, each adding their unique flair to the canvas. “We expected each piece to be unique, given the caliber of artists we chose, and still, we were awestruck as the works arrived. The imagination and talent of Filipino artists are unbeatable,” Celdran shares.
“Each work by our Icons of Hope in the exhibit is a heartfelt expression and an opportunity for each to help our mission to save lives. Each work has a unique story to tell. I hope we’ve been able to share that story.”
The Pink Room gallery is still open for viewing until September 14 at Brittany Hotel BGC where the auction will also take place.
“You can each do your part to support breast cancer advocacy by amplifying our message: early breast cancer detection is your best protection,” Celdran says. “We’re grateful for the last twenty-five years, but we have many more years ahead and more women to help.”
Photos courtesy of ICanServe Foundation.
