Oct 1 2014
Barbara Feigin, successful business owner and breast cancer survivor, wanted to find a unique and memorable way to honor other breast cancer survivors and those who have fallen to the disease so she decided to paint the 44,000 square-foot administrative building at her company MainStreet America pink. The building is located on I-45 North, one of the busiest freeways in the Houston area, which means tens of thousands of commuters are taking notice.
It took eight crews of painters – surrounded by scaffolding, power lifts and construction lighting – to fully cover the building in time for Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October). Breast cancer survivors and non-survivors will also be honored with pink ribbons that will be attached to an eight foot Honor Wall inside the building. It's all part of MainStreet America's first-ever #PinkStreet campaign, which will include other events and activities.
"This will create a lot of public awareness, and I hope it will inspire women to practice early detection through mammograms and self-exams," said Feigin. "I realized how lucky I was to have great medical care and to detect my cancer so early."
Feigin was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma breast cancer in November 2013 after a routine mammogram was ordered by her doctor. She had no history of breast cancer in her family and did not consider herself at risk of the disease. She underwent surgery and several weeks of radiation.
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, and it is Feigin's hope that her story of early detection will inspire other women to take the same measures in order to protect themselves and decrease the number of deaths caused by this terrible disease.
Feigin urges visitors to MainStreet America to take a "selfie" in a designated spot of the pink-painted building's parking lot and post the photo to social media sites using the hashtag #PinkStreet.
SOURCE MainStreet America