Join the Purple Boot Brigade
Purple Boot Brigade continues its march!
National youth education programs, online campaigns, Breast iQ quizzes and innovative awareness programs are just a few ways in which the Purple Boot Brigade has helped spread the “be breast aware” message to hundreds of thousands of Australians.
Thanks to the community’s support and the $415,000+ donated by Steel Blue, a wide range of much needed breast cancer awareness and support programs have been rolled out by the Breast Cancer Foundation of Western Australia (BCFWA).
In the lead up to October, national breast cancer awareness month, we are pleased to see the kick off of a national online breast cancer support project jointly funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC). This $600,000+ project with Edith Cowan University will provide much needed breast cancer support to those in need, particularly in regional and remote areas.
Also keep an eye out for other great October Purple Boot promotions through Steel Blue.
THANK YOU ALL!
Left: The crew from the Metro Modelling Academy parading Purple Boots
Right: Chef Dale Sniffen and Howard Sattler at the 2010 Brownes Every Woman Expo
What are the Brigade fighting for?
Steel Blue and BCFWA created the Purple Boot Brigade™ campaign in March 2007 with the support from Engineers Australia. $20 from the purchase of each pair of exclusive Steel Blue purple boots is donated to support BCFWA’s national education, awareness and support programs.
The Purple Boot Brigade’s objective is to create education, awareness and support programs across the nation. Our first project was targeting youth to make the younger generation breast aware. With the number of women being diagnosed with breast cancer increasing from one-in-eleven to one-in-nine over recent years, the need for breast awareness education from a young age is vital.
Our second objective is to improve the community’s knowledge of breast cancer and to dispel outdated myths about the disease. In order to achieve this, the Purple Boot team created an online social networking site at www.purpleboots.com.au and developed the ‘Breast iQ’ online quiz.
In June 2009, Edith Cowan University (ECU) and BCFWA received a $221,000 grant from the Australian Research Council to support a $600,000, three year PhD project to investigate and develop a new national breast cancer online support platform. This project is co-funded with contributions from Steel Blue's Purple Boot Brigade donations.
The project will determine whether the 'cluster-power' of social networking can be harnessed to build integrated and supportive online communities. The new community will offer a professionally moderated forum for people to talk about their experiences and share their concerns with others who know what they're going through.
If you or someone you know has been touched by breast cancer and would like to participate in this project please email Vanessa Bradshaw: keland@westnet.com.au
For more information on the Purple Boot Brigade please visit www.purpleboots.com.au
