Catch It Early Initiative debuts video, races for the cure to build breast cancer awareness

Posted 10/6/2009

Jason Tan, co-captain of Team Catch It Early, is leading the joggling movement in Nashville. He is documenting his progress on his blog, The Nashville Joggler.

Catch It Early, a cancer “edutainment” initiative that uses juggling to create awareness of the importance of catching cancer through early detection, has released a video and will participate in the Komen's Race for the Cure to build awareness about breast cancer prevention.

On Saturday, Oct. 10, a team of 12 jugglers will run a 5K race in Brentwood while juggling (also known as "joggling,") to raise funds for Susan G. Komen for the Cure and build awareness for breast cancer prevention.

"The juggling gets people to stop and notice, and it draws their attention to this important message," explains Jacob Weiss, director of the Catch It Early initiative. "We get to have fun and make people smile while also educating about essential strategies for cancer prevention."

As part of breast cancer awareness month this October, Catch It Early has teamed up with Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center to launch a new online video featuring female jugglers from across the country. The new video, aimed at busting a common myth about breast cancer risk and reminding women of the importance of regular screening, will be available at www.catchitearly.org along with the current juggling video promoting testicular cancer self-exams.

“When it comes to breast cancer, many myths and misconceptions keep women from getting the appropriate screening to catch cancer early,” said Weiss. “This video targets one of those myths and uses juggling and humor to deliver valuable information.”

Weiss hopes that other jugglers and cancer centers around the country will join in this effort to spread the word about catching cancer early. Information on how to get involved or volunteer is available on the Catch It Early Web site.

The Catch It Early initiative launched in Spring of 2009 as a collaboration between the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center and Playing By Air Productions, a Nashville-based entertainment company led by Weiss. Catch It Early uses a variety of online, social media and in-person approaches, including juggling at community cancer events, such as last week’s Light the Night, an event of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Contact: Jacob Weiss, (888) 584-4532
jacob@catchitearly.org

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