About Us
"I'm an entrepreneur, I like to laugh and I want to see a world without cancer" -Julia Fikse
A Message from Julia...
I am often asked how breast cancer affected me personally. The very first time I learned about it, I was in the car with my Mom after a visit with my Grandma when I first noticed she had a hard and pointed chest. We had said our goodbyes and were driving away and I asked my Mom, "Why does Grandma have such a hard chest?"
At that moment, my mother told me why. Grandma got breast cancer. She had to have her breasts removed, and now she had foam cones. My mom was very discreet, yet direct about girl body stuff with me.
Now, bear in mind this was the 1970's ... and there was still a huge blanket of shame and secrecy covering breast cancer. So, to protect my Grandmother's feelings, the issue was not discussed openly, and most certainly not with her directly. At the time it was a "taboo" subject. You just didn't talk about it.
It's hard to stand where we are now (in a society that's much more open about this topic - and so many others) and fully grasp how difficult it was for women, just a generation ago. They bore alone the humiliation of having their breasts cut off with no options for reconstruction or offer of emotional and community support. There was no internet to log onto to find millions of sisters fighting alongside you. No, you suffered alone in silence. And, how could you ask for information or help, if you couldn't even talk about it? The resources for healing were very limited at that time.
2008 Humanitarian Award Winner, Hollywood Note Foundation, 2009 Best of Business Award Winner, 2010 Best Health Charity Winner, Guidestar, Honored as a "Most Influential Woman in Action Sports" by Transworld Business 2011
For more information about Julia, click here.
From Ideas to Action...
Julia has always been a firm believer in laughter as the best medicine, as well as the importance of maintaining a positive spirit. She prospered in the fashion industry, and never forgot about that day in the car after visiting her Grandmother. And so, in 2004, while reflecting about another family member who had been diagnosed with breast cancer who was facing a mastectomy and feared for the survival of her marriage because she would no longer be considered attractive, the concept for ta-tas® Brand was born.
A few flirty slogans were kicked around and tested with the family. When Julia saw the smiles and lifted spirits, she knew she was onto something important.
Paying it Forward...
From the beginning, it was decided that the purpose of this new venture would be multi-fold. Julia states, "Here is my idea... I think as business owners, we can make a big difference in the world by contributing a little of every sale to help a human need. I'm talking about making money and making a difference. I call it a 'hybrid' business. A business created to fund a human need; a money-maker, that, from day one, exists to generate funds for a cause.
ta-tas® Brand, organized as a for-profit, cause-related company, quickly emerged as a leader in cause marketing. From day one, ta-tas® has given 5% of every sale to breast cancer research. Julia was told by many, that 5% was too much, that a company should give more like 1-2% of every sale. The problem with this was that Julia wanted to make a significant difference, so she decided to stick with 5%! Julia states, "I get such a thrill watching our donation amounts increase monthly. It's money I could have never contributed to help women and their families if it wasn't for ta-tas® and my loyal customers". Julia adds, “Our first donation check was $32.20, now we’ve almost reached one million dollars in donations.”
Julia has been thanked by countless women who share that their self-esteem has received a huge boost from wearing ta-tas® Brand clothing, and from families of both victims and survivors who've shared testimonials of hope and humor stemming from her unique designs. "There are so many things that I hope the ta-tas® message will mean to different people," says Julia, who runs the company with her husband Craig. "For women who have faced breast cancer, treatment and surgery, we hope it brings a message of laughter in the face of adversity. To families who have lost a loved one, we want to bring a joyful spirit to celebrate the life of someone they cherished. And, for everyone who may never have even thought much about breast cancer, it's an opportunity for a new awareness, to join the fight against it and spread the word to others - in a spirit of humor and love. It’s also a consistent way to raise valuable funds. We believe that in working together, we can inspire and create a world without cancer."
"I feel that ta-tas® Brand has played a major role in paving the way for humorous, open and honest messaging about breast cancer," says Julia.
Funding Research to Save Lives...
A few years later, after countless requests, Julia decided to take her commitment to the next level and start a Foundation where she could accept donations and direct them to support innovative researchers with creative and forward-thinking, scientific ideas; research that might otherwise be overlooked due to lack of funding.
Founded in 2008, Save the Ta-tas® Foundation is a private, non-profit, 501(c)3 organization that is dedicated to battling cancer at every stage by supporting break- through research.
The primary focus of Save the Ta-tas® Foundation is to support independent cancer research. Currently we are supporting three independent cancer researchers, each for a two year grant cycle. We have also committed to funding another cancer researcher who will be selected this spring! We realize that women and families need support NOW, so we established an annual scholarship contest, support the Revlon Run Walk for Women and donate product year-round to independent fundraisers so others can raise funds for their favorite cancer charities. We donate regularly and therefore our donation information is constantly rising.
Laughter Continues to Heal...
And it doesn’t stop here. In 2011 Julia launched Laughter Heals Gifts, a company dedicated to brightening the future of children in need. For more information on this new endeavor go to www.laughterhealsgifts.com
Save the ta-tas and Laughter Heals – gifts of hope you can share today, and make a difference for tomorrow.
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