Community Fundraising Success Stories

Breast Cancer Fund Supporter

A Personal Mission 

Ever since she took on Mount Shasta in the Breast Cancer Fund’s “Climb Against the Odds,” Kathi Randall has been a passionate supporter of the organization’s mission to identify and eliminate the environmental causes of the disease. “It’s an intensely personal cause for me,” says Randall. In the neonatal intensive care unit where she works as a nurse, she’s seen nine fellow nurses impacted by breast cancer. “I’ve also learned that nurses are particularly vulnerable because of the ongoing chemical exposures they get at work. So I feel an obligation to spread the word.” 

Thinking Outside the Fundraising Box

In addition to her involvement with the Breast Cancer Fund, Randall is also president of the Coastal California Association of Neonatal Nurses (CoCANN). “One of our mandates as a professional organization is to give back to our community,” says Randall. “When I heard about LUNAFEST through the Breast Cancer Fund, I thought, ‘What a great opportunity to do something fun and different while also raising awareness for this important issue.”

Partnership is Key

Randall stresses the importance of partnering with other organizations to broaden the event’s reach. This year, CoCANN teamed up with one of their sister chapters, the Inland Counties Association of Neonatal Nurses, as well as with a local non-profit, the House of Ruth, which serves as a shelter for women and children impacted by domestic violence. “With LUNAFEST, you build relationships with other groups in your community that you might not normally come into contact with. It’s an amazing opportunity.”

Good Times, Great Art

“Attendees loved the films,” says Randall. “And the cool thing about LUNAFEST’s format is that you get to see a real variety in a short amount of time.” She likes that the festival enables her organization to do something good while also producing a truly entertaining event. Now that CoCANN has a few LUNAFESTs under its belt, the organization is looking forward to making it bigger and better in the years to come.