5 Sisters and Community Celebrate and Remember

An attractive mob will gather for the third year in a row at the Taproom and Grill on Crystal Lake Avenue in Haddon Township on Saturday for an all-day outdoor event.

A passerby might note the shapes of women wearing colorful, sporty T-shirts, laughing, smiling, hugging, enjoying music and helping children with crafts.

Men will stand in small groups talking and smiling, shaking hands and holding plastic cups, wearing flip flops, denim and colorful T’s, too.

It looks like a fun time. What’s it all about?

Breast cancer. The kind of cancer that takes the lives of moms, and sisters, and friends, and neighbors. 

The event is called and it is a fundraiser to “celebrate life, celebrate survivors and remember those who have died.” Proceeds benefit the Tyanna Foundation and Virtua breast care programs.

Breastfest is held in memory of Tyanna O’Brien, a mother of five daughters who lived in Haddon Township when she died at the age of 48, after fighting breast cancer for about seven years. When O’Brien lost her battle with cancer in 1990, her oldest daughter, Anne, was 25 and Kate, the baby, was 12. Twins, Bridget and Megan, and 15-year-old Sara were in-between.

According to the website, the five O’Brien sisters have raised more than $1,000,000 for the Tyanna Foundation since 1999. Since then, Breastfest events have been held in any of four East Coast cities.

Haddon Township, NJ’s Breastfest is about five years old. It came to town when sister Sara, a teacher and musician, returned to the area. Bridget O’Brien Mink lives in Haddonfield with her husband and four children.

O'Brien-Mink said the proceeds the last couple of years have been around $20,000 for the event. "Our goal this year is to pass that."

Sara O’Brien reflects, “It really is a healthy reminder and a healthy tribute to our mom.”

She also said that as the years go by, Breastfest takes on even more meaning.

“We just lost our cousin, Christine Massaro, to breast cancer recently. She was 42. Her daughters are 10 and 16, like Katie and I were. Now it’s someone our age. It’s not about our moms, it’s about us now.”

Planning committee member and childhood friend, Becky Merkle Sheehan said the name “Breastfest” brings smiles from those who don’t know about it, like the guy at the computer store who was helping her with her laptop when the Breastfest logo "popped up."

“People have said ‘Oh, they should really change that name,’ but I think it’s so appropriate that people laugh. Nobody in my house even flinches when they say it. They are used to it,” said Sheehan.

“The event gets to the tone of Mrs. O’Brien’s personality. I think she would look at it like a big party. She would be so proud of us,” Sheehan said. “At the same time, it is also easy to get choked up.”

Sheehan said that O’Brien treated her like one of her own daughters. “She was fun. She wanted to know our ‘inner thoughts,’ ” Sheehan remembered. “The whole party kind of atmosphere and trying to make everybody part of it, she would like.”

In addition to a Wall of Hope where people can post photos or mementos of loved ones touched by cancer, Saturday’s events consist of Kids Carnival from 3 to 5 p.m. and adult “Best of Breastfest Tasting” of local gourmet foods and beer from 6 to 9 p.m.

Live music highlights the entire day and features the Sara O’Brien Band, Juicebox, If’n, Pompadour Slim, MONKO, John Shaughnessy and MamaSan among others.

Jim Eyles, Haddonfield resident and band member of MamaSan said the event meant something to him personally.

“It’s touched everyone. My mother-in-law just finished treatment for breast cancer,” said Eyles.

“Mine too,” added  another MamaSan member, Pamela Lee. “The sense of community is amazing that day, too.”

Manager of the , Brian DeCosmo, is a Haddon Township resident. He said the event is important to the Taproom, which has donated the use of parking lot space for the last two years. The Taproom also helps organizers secure donations from food and beverage distributors.

“Cancer has affected a lot of local people. Breastfest is a way for us to give back to the community as well. We’re fortunate enough to have the space,” DeCosmo said.

For more information , checkout the Breastfest website at breastfest.org and either Breastfest New Jersey or Tyanna Foundation on Facebook.