Creating artistic bras to battle breast cancer

On March 19 at Adelphi University, 178 original works of art will be auctioned to benefit the Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Program. These pieces are “Creative Cups”— ordinary bras that have been turned into folk art.

The inspirations for the Creative Cups are many. Local artists created two bras. Oceanside’s Frances Cuomo Perpero created “Follow the Road”, and “Vintage Cher” was fashioned by Diane Statler-Shin of Island Park.

Perpero chose the theme of Dorothy over the rainbow because “It’s the story of a young lady who is thrown into a mysterious and scary world, rather unexpectedly — and amazingly enough, even though she has her own troubles, even feeling tired and weak, she is still helping others along the way — I look at my friends Robin and Sandy, and my mother-in-law Carol Ann, with total admiration on how they accepted and fought breast cancer with strength, kindness, trust, spirit, gratitude and grace.”

“This cause seemed a perfect way for me to participate and help people struggling with breast cancer and its devastating effects,” said Statler-Shin, “having had neighbors and colleagues battle and survive breast cancer, and recently losing a close family friend, Jo Jo, to cancer. You always wish that there was more you could do to help.”

These and 176 other Creative Cups will be auctioned on Mar. 19, at 6 pm at Adelphi University’s University Center in Garden City. NBC’s Pat Battle, a breast cancer survivor herself, again will host the event.

Tickets are $50 ($65 for day of event walk-ins) and can be purchased on-line: www.adelphi.edu/creative-cups. Call the hotline at 800-877-8077 for information.