Washington D.C. – In September 2009 I received a call to participate in the Miss Sinergy contest in Washington D.C.; the Miss Sinergy beauty contest is also an initiative to fight cancer, and since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I decided to join the event.
The competition had several sponsors, some whom had already donated much to the cause, and other new sponsors who had been looking for a good way to help the community. Of course, the Miss Sinergy organizers wanted to host a successful event since this was the organization’s first time hosting the event. They understood that a successful Miss Sinergy contest could make a mark on the D.C. community. The organizers had to find the right location, trust in an amateur director and models (including myself), and hire reliable event staff. In the middle of this, the contestants had to intensely prepare for the evening of the live competition, and this was quite challenging.
A lot of important information about breast cancer was propagated during the competition; like that breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer and kills about 600,000 women every year. Learning vicariously about breast cancer through a contest is fortunate, since many people have learned about it in a harder way, often by losing someone in their immediate family. The winner of the Miss Sinergy contest, Allyn Rose, is a good example of this. Ms. Rose was inspired to participate in the pageant to honor her mother’s memory. Allyn Rose’s mother died from breast cancer when Allyn was 16 years old. Although breast cancer is the second most common cancer, it is only the fifth most deadly type of cancer — mainly because this type of cancer can be overcome if women have an early enough detection of the cancer. Allyn Rose knows from firsthand experience that awareness and early detection are extremely important, and that was why she wanted to participate in the event.
The contest was surrounded by many other individuals or families who know how difficult it is to deal with the anxieties and costs of fighting cancer alongside a loved one. The proceeds from the event were donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The event was a great success since the breast cancer foundation received more funds, and everyone had a great time either participating in or attending the contest. After the contest, the general consensus among the attendees was that the organizers of the Miss Sinergy contest should continue hosting such philanthropic events.
Indeed, in March I again received a call, this time to not just model but also to assist the director of a new event. The new event was to fight skin cancer. Skin cancer is the most common cancer among young people. The event was much easier to arrange since the organization had built relationships with the sponsors, had a more experienced director and models, and had access to good photographers and event staff. And again, there was a sense that the event was important for the people organizing and participating. At the event, John Hamilton, the director of Miss Sinergy, shared his story of how, at a very young age, he lost his father to skin cancer. The event was dedicated to his memory. This second event was intended to be much more low-key than the breast cancer fashion show/beauty contest, but it was still a great success. The organizers succeeded since Miss Sinergy has made its mark in Washington D.C. It has become an important organization in leading the fight against breast and skin cancer, and managed to do it through fashion and beauty events.
