Quirky moves for breast cancer awareness

Sept 22 2015

Marina Obrazkova

RIR

Breast cancer awareness events take many forms. Source: Shutterstock/Legion Media

Activists across Russia are making bold moves to raise public awareness about breast cancer. Recent eye-catching initiatives include assembling a bridge made of bras, charity bike rides and a pair of giant inflatable breasts in the centre of Moscow.

A bra bridge

A bridge made with over a hundred bras was built in Nizhny Novgorod (402 kms east of Moscow) to raise awareness about breast cancer. Activists who thought up the move called all women in the city on May 20 to contribute to the construction of the bridge by donating their spare bras.

Residents of other Russian cities, Moscow, St. Petersburg and Ufa, as well as the Israeli cities of Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv, also supported the event by contributing their lingerie.

“Bust Bridge over the Volga against breast cancer”. Source: Chudakova Ekaterina / Facebook

However, organizers of the event dubbed “Bust Bridge over the Volga against breast cancer” not only attracted attention to this major issue, but also offered real practical assistance to women. All the female residents of Nizhny Novgorod present at the inauguration of the ‘Bridge of Bras’ were able to get free advice from Russia’s leading oncologists and undergo an ultrasound scan in a mobile medical centre deployed at the event.

Pedal on to fight breast cancer’

Breast cancer awareness events take many forms, including charity runs. The first run of the kind was held in October 1983 in Dallas, Texas, attended by 700 runners in total. Today such events involve millions of participants. Activists in Kazan (719 km east of Moscow) decided that cycling was a more efficient way to fight cancer than running.

Posted by Крути против рака груди on Wednesday, June 10, 2015

The “Pedal on to fight breast cancer” events are held regularly and have already spread beyond the city’s borders. Participants are invited to not only ride regular bikes, but also to pedal away on special stationary bicycles installed in malls.

Inflatable breasts

Last year, a pair of giant inflatable breasts was installed in central Moscow as part of a breast cancer awareness campaign.

The breasts were actually a pavilion housing an exhibition on breast cancer. Mobile mammography stations were installed nearby, offering free scans as well as breast self-examination lessons to all female visitors.

Based on Moskovsky Komsomolets, Inkazan.ru.

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