They say laughter is the best medicine. While it may not single-handedly cure the disease, it sure is a pleasant break from the regular hospital visits, mammograms and stress that comes from a breast cancer diagnosis.
On March 1, the Angels In Pink are offering some good times to those who need it most by hosting The Boob Tour once again. The stand-up comedy show is all about raising awareness and raising funds for local breast cancer charities across the country and promoting the power of comedy.
Four comedians perform throughout the evening, helping people forget, if only for a short time, the challenges that accompany the diagnosis.
“It's been an absolutely great partnership,” said Bev Brisco, a member of the Angels In Pink executive, about working with The Boob Tour for the last two years. “It's going to be a great night out. You laugh so much you leave with your sides hurting.”
Since it began four years ago, the Angles in Pink have raised upwards of $250,000. Initially, the women came together to fundraise for a breast coil for the MRI machine at Health Science North. It all started with a cupcake bake sale — something they continue to do to this day.
Since then, the Angels have moved on to bigger fundraising events, but still have cupcakes available, as a reminder of their humble beginnings. There efforts surely have been well-received, as they've raised enough to cover the costs of a table for the MRI machine, a breast biopsy vacuum and a van to transport people from the North to and from appointments.
“You know when women make up their mind, they can make a difference,” Brisco said.
Brisco and the other Angels believe its important for cancer survivors, caregivers and those currently battling the disease to take a moment for themselves.
“Life is really short,” Brisco said. “You have to go in with a positive attitude because you don't get a second chance.
“This is all about a positive experience.”
It's that attitude that inspired James Uloth to put the Boob team together. Uloth decided to support the cause through comedy — the medium he knows best — after watching his best friend lose his mother to the disease.
“It was such a traumatic event in his life and in mine,” he said.
Tickets to The Boob Tour are now available for $30 from the Sudbury Theatre Centre at 705-674-8381 ext. 21 or online at sudburytheatre.on.ca, the Northern Cancer Foundation at 705-523-4673, Curves in the South End and the Caruso Club. Doors open at the Caruso Club at 7 p.m., then the show begins at 8 p.m. For more information, email [email protected].
To learn more about The Boob Tour, visit theboobtour.com.
