October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and in support Be Ryong will be taking up a collection to donate to the National Breast Center Foundation (NBCF), located right here in Alexandria.

The NBCF has a 3-fold mission:

• EDUCATE women and physicians in the surrounding community about breast cancer and treatment options available.
• INCREASE ACCESS to breast cancer screening, treatment, and supportive services for
  underprivileged and uninsured/under-insured women in the community.
• IMPLEMENT TECHNOLOGY to provide high quality screening and treatment services in order to detect breast cancer at earlier stages.

For more information, check out the NBCF website at http://www.nationalbreastcenterfoundation.org/

How can you donate?

There is a box at Master Yun’s desk where you can place your donation. Make checks out to National Breast Center Foundation, and write Be Ryong in the memo line. You can put in cash and it will be donated in the name of Be Ryong. Checks are better, though. You can also donate directly through their website listed above. NBCF is a 501c(3) organization, and donations are tax deductable.

For every donation of $5 or more, you can put a message on one of the Pink Dragon Ladies that you’ll find near the collection box. You can write the name of a friend or family member who is fighting or has fought through this terrible disease. Or you can just write a message of hope or support. Then stick your Pink Dragon Lady to the wall of the corridor or the seating area. The more, the better. Let’s turn the dojang pink!

We’ll take collections through Saturday, November 4th. We’ll send the money to the NBCF the following week.

by James, 2nd degree black belts in TKD and HKD, HKD instructor, who is doing this to support friends and family who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.