More B.R.A. Art from the CMZ B.R.A. A.R.T. Workshop

For those who have followed my blog, you must have a B.R.A. overdose by now. But, I guess that is advocacy is all about, right?!

Advocacy is the act or process of supporting a cause or proposal.*

Health advocacy supports and promotes patient's health care rights as well as enhance community health and policy initiatives that focus on the availability, safety and quality of care.**

The CMZ B.R.A. (Bra to Raise Awareness) Campaign Project advocates for Breast Wellness and Breast Cancer Awareness using old and used brassieres and using ART as the medium.

We had two CMZ B.R.A. A.R.T. (Act Right Together) workshops where CMZ staff, then, with partners in the community joined hands to create fabulous bra art from old and used bras. Along the way, many were inspired to continue to create embellished bras.

We had the "Borloloy Buffet" which is another term for "Blings Buffet"available for participants to choose their art materials then come up with their concepts.

The products of the CMZ B.R.A. A.R.T. workshop are used for the Ciudad De Zamboanga B.R.E.A.S.T. (Bra to Raise Early Awareness for Screening and Technology) Installation Art, but because of very innovative creations, we also have the CMZ B.R.A. Art Exhibit for the chosen embellished bras.

In this post, I will share with you many of the individual decorated bras in several collages using InstaMag. Some of these bras may be viewed with the CMZ B.R.A. Art Exhibit and the others are now part of the  B.R.E.A.S.T. Installation Art.

We have Decorated Bras from our CMZ Staff and Nurse Trainees. We have about 200 bra art from the Hemodialysis Unit; about 50 decorated bras from Medical Records / Rehab Unit group; about 28 from Radiology and about 15 from the OR/DR/NICU group.

We have partners in the community especially, from the Breast Cancer Survivor group (Mindanao Breast Cancer Support and Empowerment Association); our partners in health = Department of Health Region IX, Oficina De Salud, PhilHealth; Western Mindanao Command; our school partners = Ateneo De Zamboanga University, Universidad De Zamboanga, Brent Hospital and Colleges and Nuevo Zamboanga Colleges Inc.; our friends from the banking industry = PNB and Metrobank.

And of course, we have the support of our friends from other parts of the Philippines: Elsie Cubero Lim from the Cebu City Budget Office (pink floral bra); Dr. Joy Santos-De Leon and family from Bocaue, Bulacan (silver bra with teddy bear) and Prescy Valenzuela Yulo of Skin Rejuve with six Manila branches.

Most of all, my friends from Brunei/Singapore also sent bra art made by Molly Yap's daughter, Elene who is 14 years old!

Here is more from our CMZ staff/trainees and from partners in the community...

So, if you are from the Zamboanga City area, please schedule your FREE LECTURES on Breast Wellness and Breast Cancer Awareness at the Ciudad Medical Zamboanga Breast Wellness Center at 992-7330 local 1278!

Let the Awareness start with us!

Early detection and early treatment save lives!!!

CMZ Bra to Raise Awareness Campaign 2014 UPDATES

February 17, 2014 Updates:

Breast Cancer is the most common cancer in the Philippines with reports showing that  the country has the highest incidence rate in Asia. Unfortunately, survival rate in the Philippines is below 40% compared to the high survival rates of 80 to 98% in developed countries. This is attributed to better disease awareness in developed countries and the practice of regular screening that helps detect the disease at an earlier, thereby, more curable stage.

Thus, Ciudad Medical Zamboanga created the CMZ Breast Wellness Center (CMZ BWC) in 2012 as its flagship Corporate Social Responsibility program under the helm of Breast Advocate, Dr. Marissa Lim. The CMZ Breast Wellness Center is now launching the B.R.A. Campaign Project which stands for Bra to Raise Awareness in time for the World Cancer Day this February 4, 2014 and its culmination will be on March 20, 2014, which is the second anniversary of CMZ BWC as well as within the International Women’s Month (March).

Phase 1 of the B.R.A. Campaign Project is the B.R.A. Drop Box Decorating Contest participated in by  the CMZ employees and was started last January 17, which is within the National Cancer Consciousness Week. The decorated B.R.A. drop boxes will be placed in strategic places within CMZ and with partner institutions and prepared for Phase 2.

Placing of the B.R.A. Collection boxes within Ciudad Medical Zamboanga and in designated areas within Zamboanga City is intended to increase Breast Cancer Awareness in the following ways:

1) Looking at the pink-colored B.R.A. boxes will attract the observers to awareness.

2) Reading the messages of the B.R.A. Boxes will create awareness.

3) Picking flyers/leaflets from the box will add to their knowledge and awareness.

4) Contributing brassieres into the box will further increase involvement.

5) More women submitting for screening.

6) More organizations requesting for lectures on Breast Cancer Awareness. Call Zeny/Beth at 992-7330 loc 1278 for scheduling.

7)   Final phase of Installation Art will increase Breast Cancer Awareness for the community

Phase 2 is the launching of the B.R.A. Collection Contest where CMZ is collecting old and used bras, within the institution and in partnership with the Zamboanga community from February 4 to March 2, 2014. 

As of this day, our partner institutions who will help us in the B.R.A. Collection Phase include: 
** the City Government through the Sangguniang Panglungsod ng Zamboanga (through City Councilor Myra Paz Abubakar, head of ZC Gender and Development Committee), the City Health Office; 
** government offices such as DOH RIX, PhilHealth, SSS, Office of the Civil Registrar, CHED, Zamcelco, ZC Water District, Western Mindanao Command; 
** Malls such as Mindpro Citimall, Budgetwise, Shopper’s Group, Yubengco Star Mall; 
** Schools such as Western Mindanao State University, Ateneo de Zamboanga University, Universidad de Zamboanga, Pilar College, Brent Hospital and Colleges, Claret School, Nuevo Zamboanga Colleges and Immaculate Conception Elementary School; 
** Banks such as PNB and Metrobank; 
** private groups such as KCCDFI, Lantaka Hotel and Bygems Baloons. 
** The Mindanao Breast Cancer Support and Empowerment Association (MBCSEA) with Pres. Florence Alcazar is our partner for this campaign.
** The Camera Club of Zamboanga and the Zamboanga Bloggers are media partners for this Advocacy project.
** Dante Corteza, Mila Arieta and RG Antonet Go are the consistent friends in media from the beginning of this endeavor.

The collected used bras will be prepared for Phase 3 of the B.R.A. Campaign Project which will be the Ciudad de Zamboanga B.R.E.A.S.T. Installation Art for Breast Cancer Awareness to be unveiled on March 20, 2014. Lead artist for this innovative artwork is international artist, Rameer Tawasil who hails from Sulu, and also considers this as his Personal Social Responsibility!

Instead of Ciudad Medical Zamboanga, the Installation Art will be known as the Ciudad de Zamboanga B.R.E.A.S.T. Installation Art.
This is so because, this campaign has now expanded as the Zamboanga City community art and advocacy project... where the private and public sectors, schools and offices, institutions and individuals join hands to raise Breast Awareness!

What does B.R.E.A.S.T. mean? 
It means Bra to Raise Early Awareness for Screening and Treatment.

We hope that it might be the first of its kind here in the Philippines and maybe, the world... (anybody, who thinks otherwise, please do inform us and enlighten us!)

Here is the concept as drawn by our artist, Rameer Tawasil:

This is the intended concept of the 
Ciudad de Zamboanga B.R.A.Installation Art
to be created by R. Tawasil and company, 
and which will be made up of the individual old and used brassieres !

An offshoot of the B.R.A. Campaign Project is the CMZ B.R.A. A.R.T. Workshop with the Borloloy Buffet, wherein interested participants from CMZ and also from the Zamboanga City community will decorate the brassieres for another concept, also of artist Rameer Tawasil.

Concept B: where bras will be decorated and embellished to create B.R.A. artworks!...
First set of the bra art was made during the CMZ B.R.A. A.R.T. Workshop.
CMZ staff are encouraged to continue making beautiful bras.
However, we still have to find a place to display these 
B.R.A. artworks with due consideration to cultural sensitivity.

So here is the activity last February 7, 2014 for the CMZ workforce, and CMZ's way of contributing to the National Arts Month (February)!

CMZ B.R.A. A.R.T. Workshop with the Borloloy Buffet

The same activity will be offered to the partners on March 12, 2014 for day of B.R.A. Art with the Community where indeed, let us Act Right Together!

Phase 4 of the B.R.A. Campaign Project is the Breast Awareness Phase through Education. This phase is already and ongoing activity of the CMZ Breast Wellness Center spearheaded by Dr. Marissa Lim as main lecturer and also with Dr. Filipinas Rojo as part of the pool of lecturers.

In fact, the objective of this Bra to Raise Awareness Campaign Project is in support  of this endeavor. Phase 4 encourages our partners to schedule their Breast Awareness lectures with the CMZ Breast Wellness Center through Zeny/Beth at 992-7330 loc 1278 for scheduling and inquiry.

The Breast Awareness lectures will allow greater understanding on Breast Wellness and enlightenment on what this B.R.A. Campaign is all about!

CMZ hopes to have the whole Zamboanga City community as a partner in saving lives as we embark on this BRA to RAISE AWARENESS Project of the CMZ Breast Wellness Center. 

Again, the intended Ciudad de Zamboanga B.R.A. Installation Art to be made by R. Tawasil and company will be made up of the individual old and used brassieres, so don't be shy to give away the used, abused and unusable bras for this cause!

Also, everybody is enjoined to be part of the B.R.A. Campaign... as bra contributor, as active partner institution, as lecturer, as inspirational speaker, as part of the support team, as liaison for units and partners, as media partner and friend, as online sharer and blogger, as artist and of course, as sponsor and benefactor! Please come and join us!!!

Our reminder to everyone is : 

LOVE YOUR BREASTS…HAVE THEM CHECKED!

The Awareness starts with us!

P.S.  FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO DONATE BRASSIERES FOR THE CMZ B.R.A. CAMPAIGN PROJECT, YOU MAY SEND TO THIS ADDRESS:

DR. FILIPINAS ROJO

Ciudad Medical Zamboanga

Breast Wellness Center

Mayor Vitaliano Agan Avenue (former Nunez Extension)

Zamboanga City 7000

PHILIPPINES

Tel No. (63)(62)992-7330 local 1278

CMZ B.R.A. A.R.T. Workshop 2014

An off-shoot of the CMZ B.R.A. (Bra to Raise Awareness) Campaign Project is the CMZ B.R.A. A.R.T. Workshop 2014!

The acronym A.R.T. means Act Right Together!

*    Act so this Advocacy becomes a reality!

** Right so that everyone becomes pro-active on doing the right thing, which is acting upon the advocacy.

***Together because this Advocacy can only become a reality if we do this together, starting with the CMZ community and hopefully, the whole City of Zamboanga!

Interestingly, this is also so timely for February, the National Arts Month!

During this B.R.A. collection period, we had discussions that if we wait for next month, we may be cramming to finish embellished bras, so Mr. Rameer Tawasil, our artist partner agreed to have an Art Workshop initially, with the interested CMZ workforce with a love for art.

So here are some of the scenes from the workshop itself.

Part I: We have for the participants, the Borloloy Buffet! They can choose whatever art material they feel they would want to use. We hope the array of paints, glues, beads, beans, feathers, sequins, scrap cloth, pens, and a whole lot more sparked their artistic minds... again!

Part II: Just before the start of the workshop, Rameer Tawasil shared the Art Concept behind the B.R.A.Campaign Project and what he expects would be the products of this workshop.

The  main Art Concept of Rameer Tawasil for the
Installation Art on Breast Wellness and Breast Cancer Awareness.

This is the second Art Concept that Rameer Tawasil would like to do and thus, we need the stakeholders like the CMZ workforce and members of the partner establishment to join in to make embellished brassieres, thus, this workshop. 

Part III: Let the creativity flow....as the CMZ staff choose whch materials they would want to use for their art bras!

Participants so seriously make their Bra-sterpieces (from bra masterpiece)!

Part IV: Here is the making of the Bra-sterpieces!

Part V: Participants of the first ever CMZ B.R.A. A.R.T. Workshop!

Events specialist Joe Harris, CMZ CEO Atty. Jhihann Natividad,
CMZ MD Dr. Filipinas Rojo, CMZ Pres. Dr. Joven Monsanto,
Artist Rameer Tawasil and CMZ AO, Ms. Ruby Ann Puzon

Ms. Michelle Lim of PNB and of the Camera Club of Zamboanga City with CMZ Medical Director, Dr. Filipinas Rojo and Administrative Officer, Ms. Ruby Ann Puzon

The participants were encouraged to finish their art pieces after the workshop and enjoined to do more of these and encourage other staff to do the same.

Another CMZ B.R.A. A.R.T. Workshop is scheduled on March 12, 2014 with representatives from the partner groups as participants.

We do look forward to more of these workshops to further involve the community in our Bra to Raise Awareness Campaign!