Carol Ann Cole

Women Celebrate Life
Breast Cancer awareness costume party attracts 150
by Shannon Hagerman

With a title organizers say was meant to shock, dozens of Fredericton women fastened leaves, funnels and even milk cartons to their chests on Wednesday to bring awareness to breast cancer.
The first-ever capital city Titz and Glitz costume party went off without a hitch in the Boyce Farmers Market on
Wednesday night, despite rumblings that protesters would picket the event's controversial name.
Organizers say they never intended to offend anyone but wanted to shock women into paying attention to their breast health.
"You almost have to shock people to get their attention and that was the motivation behind this event," said Elizabeth MacFarlane, co-chair of the event. About 150 tickets were sold, with any proceeds going towards breast cancer research.
"We just want to make the whole idea of breasts more comfortable to people. To bring it out of the closet so they can talk about it," said MacFarlane.
The turn out exceeded organizers' expectations, said Anna Goddard, an event sponsor, and president of the New Brunswick Breast Cancer Network.

Timely Message: Anna Goddard, left and Carol Ann Cole, guest speaker , share a moment at the Breast Cancer Awareness Day costume party Wednesday.

A Halifax woman who raised $1million towards cancer research selling pewter key chains was the evening's guest speaker. Carol Ann Cole has sold thousands of Comfort Hearts since she and her mother were first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992.
The event started in Halifax and has become an annual event. This year $60,000 was raised in Nova Scotia for breast-cancer research, explained Margo Kerr, who founded the Halifax event.
Kerr started the flamboyant costume party in her home four years ago and it grew so large that this year 1,000 women bought tickets for the evening that was held in the city's old train station.
"When we first started doing this, we did it as a dare," Kerr said. "There is a lot of humour in this event but there's a lot of levity here too. It's a time for thought but it's also a time to celebrate life."

In Fredericton, Comfort Hearts can be purchased at:
Paradise Imports
95 York Street
Fredericton, New Brunswick
Canada, E3B 3N4