Bra Couture KC

Article by Dave Eckert

Cancer. Just saying the word, or in this case typing it, sends chills down my spine and dark thoughts through my mind. There aren’t too many people whose lives haven’t been affected in some way by cancer. It is frightening. It is unpredictable. And it does not discriminate. For the uninsured or underinsured, cancer is more than a physical threat, it is a financial one too. Cancer can both ravage your body and your family’s finances. But there is help. Help from a group of cancer survivors who founded and maintain the most active and impactful cancer-related charity in the Kansas City metro, Bra Couture K.C..

Bra Couture K.C. has been around for some 15 years. I recently attended one of their fundraisers, a rosé wine tasting at Tannin Wine Bar + Kitchen where I met these strong and determined women. I was moved by their stories. I think you will be, too.
Sharon Butler Payne is the Founder and CEO. “We all three are breast cancer survivors. After my own breast cancer experience, I presented the idea of using a bra as a symbol of survivorship to KU. We launched with them as our partner and became our own 501c3 non-profit a few years later. The response from Kansas City was overwhelming. In the first year alone, we raised $90,000!” Butler Payne exclaimed.
Initially created to support uninsured/underinsured patients at The University of Kansas Medical Center, Bra Couture KC’s continued success has allowed the organization to expand services to other hospitals, cancer centers, and community organizations

I asked Butler Payne to tell me about her team members. She was quick and proud to respond. “Michelle Lockman, a cancer fighter, is our Director of Sponsorship, our architect who designs and lays out an entire amazing map of our event space and functions as an expert is almost every other area of our organization. She has been with BCKC for 13 years. Jen Bishop is our future; I am grooming her to replace me at the Executive Director level. She is a breast cancer survivor and has managed our event auction system and auctions for the past 11 years. She will be an amazing leader of this organization in the future,” Butler Payne said.

Bishop says her involvement in Bra Couture KC started in 2017. “Sharon invited me to walk the runway as a Cancer Survivor Model at the annual event. As I learned more about the organization and its mission to support uninsured and underinsured cancer patients, I was immediately inspired and eager to get involved,”: Bishop shared. “As my understanding of Bra Couture KC deepened, I discovered something incredibly personal; I had unknowingly been a recipient of its support during my own breast cancer journey in 2016. At the time, I didn’t know where to turn, but I found help through the Cancer Action Center, a center supported by Bra Couture KC. They provided me with nutritional support, including liquid food, and gave me a children’s book that helped explain my diagnosis and what to expect to my stepchildren, who ranged from elementary to high school age. That support meant everything to me.” Bishop recalled.

I asked Bishop about the challenges she faces in her role. “One of our greatest challenges is raising awareness to ensure that every patient in need knows about and can access the services we provide. Fundraising is also an ongoing challenge, especially as cancer diagnoses continue to rise, along with the number of patients who are underinsured and facing significant financial hardship during treatment. This makes our mission to raise funds for these individuals more critical than ever,” Bishop shared. “However, the rewards are truly extraordinary. First, we have the privilege of directly supporting uninsured and underinsured cancer patients right here in our community. These are not just individuals in need; they are our friends, our families, and our neighbors. Second, there is nothing more powerful than being surrounded by cancer survivors and watching them walk the runway at the annual Bra Couture KC event-strong, confident, and full of life!” Bishop exclaimed.

So, what sets Bra Couture KC apart from other non-profits? Butler Payne says there are four main points. “First, we are volunteer driven. Second, all funds raised, including the $716,000 generated by our main event, stay in Kansas City. Third, services are handed directly to cancer patients in need without any additional applications or qualifications. All of our patients are uninsured and are at or 200% below the federal poverty level. And lastly, we are building and funding on-site cancer care centers physically located within local hospitals, which help patients to have access to our care services while they are on-site for treatment,” Butler Payne stated. “While we cannot say we are the ONLY non-profit in America providing the above services, we are certainly very rare, which we love and are very proud of, for sure.”

There is much more information, and many ways you can get involved in Bra Couture KC. The best place to start is their website www.bracouturekc.com.