It was not only a night of fashion and glam last October 13, but also an evening full of inspiring stories of triumph and survival as the country’s top designers, models and muses came together to create awareness and raise support for ICanServe Foundation and its advocacy of Awareness and Early Detection.
Staged at Raffles Makati, six of the country’s style visionaries – Randy Ortiz, Dennis Lustico, Patrice Diaz, Rosanna Ocampo, Mark Bumgarner and Patty Ang – presented their collections, inspired by the courageous journeys of breast cancer survivors.
“We put a lot of time and thought into our collections. We hope that through our vision, and our participation, we may help women see beyond the scars, and give them a renewed appreciation of themselves. 
They are beautiful, strong and courageous. They are remarkable individuals of inspiration,” agree Ang, Diaz and Ocampo.
For the male designers, they agree that breast cancer is “not only a woman’s concern. It is everyone’s responsibility to look after and protect the women in their lives – mother, daughter, sister and wife.”
But the Fashion Can Serve event is more than a simple runway show; bringing light and authenticity to the show, surgeons and doctors together with real breast cancer survivors and their “Breast Friends” served as models and muses as they walked down the ramp beside them.
Philippine Cinema’s Universal Leading Man Derek Ramsay
opened the show for Randy Ortiz in a custom-made black tuxedo. Randy’s muses included Michelle Marquez Dee, daughter of Breast Cancer Advocate Melanie Marquez; Iza Calzado, Breast Cancer Awareness Supporter who walked in tribute to her stepmoms: Myrna Razon and Rosalyn Abolo; Dr. Catherine Yap-Asedillo, Plastic & Breast Reconstructive Surgeon and Dr. Erwin Alcarazen, Breast Surgeon and Breast Center Consultant Director, both of The Medical City, walking with Breast Cancer Survivor Carmen Araneta; and Kara Gozali with mom and Breast Cancer Survivor Dr. Ma. Lourdes Gozali.
Patty Ang’s segment was opened by Carla Abellana who walked in support of Breast Cancer Survivor Maritoni Fernandez. She was then followed by Karylle Tatlonghari-Yuzon, Breast Cancer Survivor Amanda LuYm with cousin Cacay Moras-Server, James Deakin who walked in support of his mother Marimil and his Aunt Jean, and Miss World 2013 Megan Young.
Breast Cancer Survivor and ICanServe Cebu Chapter Head Me’Anne Solomon along with acclaimed director and Breast Cancer Survivor Olive Lamasan were the muses of Patrice Diaz, along with Breast Cancer Survivor Rita Nazareno and best friend Maxine Chua.
The muses of Rosanna Ocampo, who were all visually stunning in turquoise dresses, were Breast Cancer Survivor Frances Yu with sister Crickette Tantoco as well as restaurateurs and sisters-in-law Margarita and Malou Fores, both of whom are Breast Cancer Survivors.
Dennis Lustico’s muses included Breast Cancer Survivor and ICanServe Spokesperson Bibeth Orteza who was later joined by her son Rafa Siguion-Reyna. Other notable names who walked were Actor and Sun Life Ambassador Matteo Guidicelli with Breast Cancer Survivor Lorenza Huang of Sun Life; and Breast Cancer Survivor Beth Romualdez with daughter Via Reyes.
Closing the event was the youngest of all six designers, Mark Bumgarner. Breast Cancer Survivor Chuchu Madrigal walked hand in hand with her daughter Alex Eduque, who were then followed by Breast Cancer Survivor and ICanServe Foundation President Tang Singson with Heart Evangelista-Escudero closing the show.
OTHER SURVIVORS SPEAK
Since it was established in 1999, ICanServe Foundation has become one of the biggest and most influential foundations for breast cancer in the Philippines. A community of passionate cancer survivors, ICanServe has made it their mission to help and support women with breast cancer. They advocate early detection breast exams and initiate community-based programs that extend medical support and empower women through education and information.
Through the Fashion Can Serve fundraising event, ICanServe hopes to raise support for its flagship program, Ating Dibdibin, which was first established in 2007.
“I was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer, but God is greater than any cancer, and He healed me. It has become by advocacy, one of my missions to increase awareness, especially in the ways to prevent cancer, such as carcinogens in the environment and food, radiation, and stress,” shares Breast cancer survivor Dr. Baby Gozali.
By participating in this fashion event, Rita Nazareno celebrates her “second life” and hopes to inspire other women and survivors. “You have to be grateful for what you have, for the life that you live. You have to be okay with your mortality, if anything happens. I’ve lived such a good life so I will just continue to do so,” she shares with such positivity.
For Frances Yu, through her own journey of survival, she has learned the blessing of suffering: “You cannot avoid suffering—it’s your choice to suffer with God, or without God. Suffering shouldn’t be wasted. It’s something you can elevate, and transform into something transcendent. You can offer it up, and use it as a stepping stone to become a better person.”
Amanda Luym and breast friend Cacay Moras-Server are proud to join the conversation in any way. “During treatment so much gets taken away from you: your physicality, your ability to even function properly, to move, your body won’t feel like your own. Try to live as well as you can, for as long as you can. Win. I saw cancer as a battle. And I won,” shares Amanda, encouraging other women to fight and not lose hope.
In the past decades, ICanServe foundation has made great progress in spreading awareness, but indeed, there’s more to be done. This year, Fashion Can Serve could not do without their partners for this endeavour.
Hosted by Raffles Makati
Partner: Philip Stein
Co-presenter: Sun Life
Major Sponsors: Security Bank, Del Monte Philippines, Marie France, PAGCOR, The Medical City, and Estee Lauder
For information on how you can support ICanServe projects and programs, visit www.icanservefoundation.org/.
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