Brown Thomas is 'On the Ball' as it announces the 8th Fashion Targets Breast Cancer™ Ireland campaign with supermodel Karolina Kurkova

Luxury department store group Brown Thomas & BT2 are delighted to announce the return of the Fashion Targets Breast Cancer™ Ireland Campaign for 2013, marking its eighth year. This year, the iconic FTBC target T-shirt, fronted by supermodel Karolina Kurkova, will exclusively go on sale at Brown Thomas & BT2 stores on Fashion Targets Thursday, April 18th 2013.

Karolina Kurkova commented: “As a woman and a mother, I am proud to give a voice to the 1 in 10 women of all ages affected by breast cancer in their lifetime. By purchasing the Fashion Targets Breast Cancer t-shirt, you too, can lend your support to raise awareness and funds for patients, their families, and friends. And, it’s a fashionable reminder to be breast aware!”

The T-shirt incorporates the original FTBC logo inspired and designed by Ralph Lauren in memory of his late friend Nina Hyde, The Washington Post columnist who died of breast cancer and is located on the lower right side of the T-shirt.All of the proceeds from the sale of the target T-shirt, which will retail for €30, will go to the Irish Cancer Society and Europa Donna Ireland – The Irish Breast Cancer Campaign, a breast cancer patient advocacy group.

It is estimated now in Ireland that about 4 in 10 breast cancer cases are linked to poor lifestyle choices. Lifestyle changes such as regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, drinking less alcohol and by not smoking can help reduce the risk of breast cancer by up to 42%. The target T-shirt will no doubt appeal to women of all ages in the fight against breast cancer and who want to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Be on the Ball, Be Breast Aware!

This year, the FTBC Campaign asks women to Be on The Ball!and be breast aware. In Ireland, latest data shows that 2,671 cases of breast cancer were diagnosed in 2010 and Irish women have a 1 in 10 chance of developing breast cancer during the course of their lifetime. Knowing the simple 5 point breast awareness code and sharing it with friends, family and colleagues is essential in the fight against breast cancer.

To date, the Fashion Targets Breast Cancer™ campaign has gone from strength to strength in Ireland, having raised just over €650, 000, initially through the sale of the bull's eye target T-shirts and the hugely successful tote bags designed by Diane von Furstenberg, Orla Kiely, Paul Smith and Tory Burch.  Proceeds from the Fashion Targets Breast Cancer campaign have contributed to theIrish Cancer Society’s Action Breast Cancer programme which delivers vital information and support services to women with breast cancer and to the information and training activities of Europa Donna Ireland.

The FTBC campaign has directly injected funds into national breast cancer awareness events including The Breast Cancer in Young Women Conference (Dublin, November 2012), The Young Survivor Coalition Annual Conference for Young Women Affected by Breast Cancer (February 2011) and The Annual Breast Health Day in October by publishing a BHD booklet providing information regarding physical activity and healthy eating contributing to breast health.

The Fashion Targets Breast Cancer T-shirt will be sold for €30 in Brown Thomas Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway and BT2 Grafton Street, Dundrum and Blanchardstown Shopping Center from Fashion Targets Thursday, April 18th 2013.  All proceeds raised will go to the Irish Cancer Society and Europa Donna Ireland.

The Irish Cancer Society’s Action Breast Cancer programme is the leading provider of advice, support and information in relation to breast health and breast cancer. The Irish Cancer Society is a registered charity CHY 5863. To find out more about breast health or breast cancer please call the National Cancer Helpline on Freefone 1800 200 700 or email helpline@irishcancer.ie.

Europa Donna Ireland (EDI), The Irish Breast Cancer Campaign, was launched in 1998 as an advocacy group and is a volunteer run organisation whose membership is largely made up of people with experience of breast cancer and is a Registered Charity: CHY 16312. For further information about Europa Donna Ireland (EDI), email: info@europadonnaireland.ie, call 01 4960198 or write to Europa Donna Ireland, PO Box 6602, Dublin 8, Ireland.