What They Say About Us

Foundation Laço Rosa influences public policies and empower patients with breast cancer

The entity’s programs and actions evidence the importance of the early diagnostic through simple and reliable information. A new portal, the increase of the Wig Power project and the Public Policies National Forum are some of the news scheduled for 2017. 

Breast cancer is the most common cancer type in Brazilian women. And it was to support them in this hard time that, in 2011, the Foundation Laço Rosa was created — a non-profit institution, that was born from the touching life history of three sisters – and that today exceeds not only in Brazil, but internationally, spreading quality information, influencing public policies concerning breast cancer, and defending patient rights and rescuing their self-esteem.

“It is impossible to go through a breast cancer experience in our family without changing the way we face the world and, mainly, without walking in another person’s shoes”, states Marcelle Medeiros, President and one of the institution’s founders, remembering the disease that knocked to the doors of the other two sisters, and herself is considered as a patient of the highest risk group.

Foundation Laço Rosa first programs was the Online Wig Bank, the pioneer in donning wigs for chemo patients, and the Community Roses (Rosas do Morro), which takes information on this disease and on Women Rights to communities in need. The Wig Bank alone was responsible for attending more than 3 thousand families all over the country through the portal www.fundacaolacorosa.com. There are from 80 to 100 assistances per month, and we cannot attend more people because the lack of sponsorship. The wig arrives as a gift, in a package full of special things, also including incentive letters written by another patient that already are cured or living the same situations.

Today, after six years, this work has expanded, increasing volume and unfolding into many other initiatives. The portal had a new format, becoming an interactive, dynamic and a reliable resource platform, which can approach since scientific issues to women behavior. It is an unseen space to shelter the breast cancer patient and the people that live around this disease. Besides that, from the Wig Bank was born the Wig Power course, an important professional qualification program on wig making, pioneer in Brazil, has already formed three classes of professionals coming from needy communities in Rio de Janeiro to make the wigs.

“We realized that preparing professional wigmakers was essential for our Wig Bank project to survive. Those students learn a profession, having all orientations on how to transform this learning into a business, and, on the other hand, they send their production to the Laço Rosa. Year by year we receive hundreds of hair donations, since we already are benchmark in our country. But this is not enough: a flow needs to be created, as well as a more complex participation in this donation process. Without this, the project is not able to support itself”, restates Marcelle, thanking for the support of the campaign #fortalizese, idealized by Exímia, a business unit of FQM Farmoquímica (Pharmachemicals), and the partnership with Sociedade Brasileira de Dermatologia (SBD – Brazilian Society of Dermatology) in this initiative. She also says: “In 2017 the education will be itinerant. ”The Wig Power was so successful that the Australian government decided to support it too, joining this year sponsors team. This way, the education shall be placed in another five Brazilian cities (Curitiba, Goiania, Salvador, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo), we will have an adapted little truck acting as hair collector and wig donation spot. #fortalizese shall involve the main hair beauty names in a solidary action and women short haircut appreciation.

As part of the FECCM (Breast Cancer Fight State Committee of RJ), movement that has 11 organized institutions and four social movements to articulate a sole agenda to eradicate and improve the access to this disease treatment, the Laço Rosa also acts towards influencing health public policies. This way, since last year, it promotes the “Fórum de Políticas para o Câncer de Mama (+ Encontro Estadual de Pacientes)” – Breast Cancer Policies Forum (+ Patients National Reunion), this reunion emphasizes the difficulties of breast cancer diagnostics and treatment, which, this year, will be national, in May, 2017, at Rio de Janeiro.

“We felt the need to build the patient voice fighting to have treatment from the public hospitals and to unite all the existing institutions in order to sum in the speech. So, recently, we also created an Advocacy unit”, emphasize Marcelle, which is Health State Council, Women Rights City Council, post-graduated in social programs and project management, part of the Professional Fellowship Program – Women Empowerment Labber 2015, of American government, and is the Brazilian representative at a series of international meetings of breast cancer organizations.

And, how the tradition sets, each year the institution put a pink light, this color signs the breast cancer fighting worldwide, on monuments at the city of Rio de Janeiro, such as the Cristo Redentor, during a touching event to be grateful and have faith for life. In 2016, the TV host Sabrina Sato and actresses Isis Valverde and Alexandra Richter were the ambassadress of the cause. “The Pink October events are elaborated to drag the attention of the Press to impact the greater number of people about such a noble cause. We think on each detail with care so our patients and volunteers feel represented”, says Daniela Oscar, one of the founders and marketing director.

How it all started

The institution history allies strength and an immovable faith in life. In 2007, Aline Lopes (born in Rio de Janeiro), with 33 years-old and pregnant with her first child, discovered a breast cancer. It was how begun a battle against the disease. Still during pregnancy, Aline has a breast removed and chemotherapy sessions. And so she could have access to information on what she was living, Aline has the internet as a great ally.

Inspired by Nancy G. Brinkera’s history, from the Suzan G. Komen for the cure Institution, she started to draw the Foundation Laço Rosa project, together with her sisters Andrea Ferreira and Marcelle Medeiros. Their idea was to help and guide breast cancer patients. During this period, her tumor was back, and the project to found an ONG speeded up and the idea of a portal creation where people can have references on this disease strengthen even more.

In October 2010, Aline Lopes launched the Foundation Laço Rosa at a night to be remembered at the Casa Julieta de Serpa. In the following month, the institution founder passed away and her legacy was taken further by her sisters, creating officially the institution on April 19^th, 2011. Andrea, the older sister, discovered a breast cancer in 2015 and continue fighting to be recovered.

“They always asked me how we can keep the work at Foundation Laço Rosa even with the pain of losing my younger sister and the fight of my older sister to be cured. It is not a personal issue, but a matter of believing in the collective force to transform many realities, including mine. Being the voice of those who cannot scream is a huge responsibility and also a privilege. It is the legacy we will leave in this life”, says Marcelle.

Reinforcing the work at Laço Rosa, companies such as Approach Comunicação – taking care of the Press Relations and F/Nazca Saatchi & Saatachi, are strategical partners pro bono. Brands such as CH PINK, Depyl Action, Dudalina, Enjoy, ICAP, Anethunn, Cia Marítima, Forno de Minas, Supermarket, Dumond, Wine, Exímia and the Austrlian Government send resources to the institution so the actions can be sustained. Our partners Metrô Rio and Instituto Invepar granted us a headquarter, located at Avenida Presidente Vargas, 2.000, annexed building, working Mondays to Fridays, from 10a.m. to 5p.m. 

More press information:
Press Relations of Foundation Laço Rosa
APPROACH COMUNICAÇÃO
Tel.: (21) 3461-4616
Isabella Germano (isabella.germano@approach.com.br) – R: 155
Bianca Gomes Sallaberry (bianca.gomes@approach.com.br) – R: 164
www.approach.com.br