FOLEY - The 4th Annual Barbells For Boobs Fundraiser at CrossFit Strong Heart (1340 South Commercial Drive, Foley) is happening on Sat., Oct. 19 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., and the public is invited to wear pink in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness and come out to show support! All proceeds will go to Barbells For Boobs and help support women recovering from breast cancer.

The event will feature workouts designed towards adults and workouts for kids, food trucks, a live silent auction, games, face painting, a bounce house, and prizes. Auction items will include a condo stay, a package from OWA, gift certificates to local restaurants, mini-golf packages, gift certificates to Coastal Cryo, gift baskets, and a Performance Sleep Mattress, just to name a few. A full list of auction items will be posted online at the beginning of October.

New to the event, Infirmary Health will be onsite with their screening truck and giving out free colon cancer screening kits. Over the past three years, CrossFit Strong Heart has raised $7,256 for Barbells For Boobs, with the goal this year set at $3,000.

Barbells For Boobs is a 501©3 nonprofit organization that is dedicated to the early detection of breast cancer. It was started when founder Zionna Hanson learned her close friend Cecy had breast cancer at a young age, after medical professionals had initially denied her a breast cancer screening not believing a woman under 40 to be a victim. This led Hanson, a weightlifter and entrepreneur, along with 60 other athletes and supporters, to lift barbells 30 times in a parking lot in Southern California, raising $4,000 to go towards Cecy’s treatment. When Cecy asked that the funds go towards other women who needed assistance, Barbells for Boobs was born.

“They began by helping make mammograms possible for women who could not afford them or whose insurance wouldn’t cover them,” said Phyllis Campbell, member of CrossFit Strong Heart and breast cancer survivor. “At the end of last year their emphasis has shifted to RAD, Resources After Diagnosis.”

The organization provides resources for need based fitness scholarships and local breast screening referrals, and provides free online courses for gym coaches to become RAD certified coaches, teaching general knowledge on scaling workouts with breast cancer survivors. It supports survivors engaging in consistent physical activity to reduce the risk of breast cancer, reduce the prevalence and severity of adverse effects during treatment, and reduce post-treatment relative risks of recurrence.

Campbell states many members at CrossFit Strong Heart are breast cancer survivors, and they have found not only that the activity has helped them during recovery, but they’ve also found a support group.

“Our gym is a community, and we want to be part of the community,” Campbell said. “Our coaches are very good about community involvement, and making the community apart of us.”

To learn more about CrossFit Strong Heart, check out their website at https://crossfitstrongheart.com or follow them on Facebook.

To learn more about Barbells For Boobs, check out their website at www.barbellsforboobs.org.