The third annual Are You Dense MusicFest 2011 is taking place on Saturday, August 27, 2011 4:00–9:00 PM, at Quassy Amusement Park in Middlebury, CT. Featured at this event that has quickly gained a name for its eclectic mix of musical genres will be popular area bands Major Motion and the Devino Bros. Ol Skool Horn Band, plus the Janet Ortiz Band, Arti Dixson Band and Smooth Jazz recording artist Marion Meadows. Emcee for the afternoon will be Teresa LaBarbera from WTNH News 8.
The Are You Dense, Inc. organization is a non profit 501(c)(3) public charity devoted to raising awareness of dense breast tissue for the early detection of breast cancer. Are You Dense, Inc. was founded by Dr. Nancy Cappello after her own late stage breast cancer diagnosis, after a decade of “normal” mammograms. The reason, Cappello, like many women, has dense breast tissue. Mammograms are limited in “seeing” cancer in women with dense tissue because of the dense breast tissue. The MusicFest event has become the organization’s principle financial support to spread the word about the Best-Kept Secret, a woman’s breast density.
This year’s event has a decidedly jazz vibe, particularly with the inclusion of saxophonist, composer and renowned smooth jazz recording artist, Connecticut native, Marion Meadows. Meadows has released a total of 9 albums to date and tours both in the US as well as internationally. He has recorded and played with Brook Benton, Eartha Kitt, Phyllis Hyman, Jean Carne, The Temptations, Michael Bolton, Angela Bofill, Will Downing and Native American flute player Douglas Spotted Eagle, among others.
The event also features exhibitors as well as fabulous silent auction and raffle items. MusicFest goers are encouraged to bring picnic baskets. Food and discounted Quassy all day ride passes and Saturation Station will be available for purchase.
Cappello, of Woodbury and her husband Joe, producer of the MusicFest have turned what was a tragedy into a triumph and the MusicFest into a day for letting music be the RX for letting the Best Kept Secret out and getting information about Breast Density into the hands of women and those who love them.
Event and Partner Sponsors for the Are You Dense Music Fest 2011 are: SIEMENS, Diagnostic Radiology, Quassy Amusement Park and the Harold Leever Regional Cancer Center.
Adult tickets (13+) are $35.00 in advance and include free parking, $45.00 at the gate. Children 4 to 12 $10.00 in advance, $15.00 at the gate, ages 3 and under – FREE. More info and Tickets are available through the website www.AreYouDense.org or by calling 203.232.9570. Other ticket outlets are the Harold Leever Regional Cancer Center the Palace Theater Box Office in Waterbury, The Print Shop in Wolcott and Canfield Corner Pharmacy in Woodbury.
Are You Dense, Inc. In February 2004, Nancy M. Cappello Ph.D. was diagnosed with stage 3C breast cancer two months after her yearly mammogram showed no findings of cancer. What she learned since her late-stage cancer diagnosis is that, like many women, she has dense breast tissue and mammograms have limitations in finding cancer in women with dense breast tissue. There are other screening tools available to women with dense tissue find cancer at its earliest stage when it is most treatable. Since her diagnosis, she has pledged to expose the “Best-Kept Secret” of dense breast tissue to ensure that no woman receives a late-stage cancer diagnosis. She has worked with the CT legislature to pass two laws for insurance coverage of ultrasound screening as a supplement to the mammogram and the first bill in the nation to inform women of their breast density through their mammography report. Legislation, mirrored after Connecticut’s landmark bills, is now being considered in numerous states across the nation. For more information about dense breast tissue, the MusicFest lineup, events of the day and sponsorships visit www.areyoudense.org.
GOALS
EDUCATE THE PUBLIC about dense breast tissue and the early detection of breast cancer by raising awareness through a web site, media, speaking engagements, informational materials
IMPROVE THE CONDITION of women diagnosed with breast cancer by raising awareness about the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of living with the disease
ADVOCATE CHANGES TO PUBLIC POLICY and breast cancer detection guidelines and
SUPPORT NEW AND EXISTING RESEARCH for the early detection of breast cancer for women with dense breast tissue.
Are You Dense Advocacy, Inc., (www.AreYouDenseAdvocacy.org) the government relations affiliate to Are You Dense, Inc. was recently formed to support breast density inform bills that are being considered across the nation.