Like many, our Fire Mountain Gems and Beads family has been deeply affected by cancer. To help cope and heal from these profound challenges, we support the Breast Cancer Research Foundation through donations to fight against this disease. Here's why we believe in the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) is a non-profit organization founded in 1993 by visionary Evelyn Lauder. The mission of BCRF is to prevent and cure breast cancer by advancing the world's most promising research. Research funded by the organization has helped save lives and improve the quality of care for thousands of breast cancer patients. The foundation supports research and awareness programs, carries out fundraising events, coordinates corporate partner programs and provides awareness and prevention information.

BCRF is recognized as one of the most financially efficient nonprofits in the country and is the highest-rated breast cancer charity in the U.S. Since its founding, BCRF has raised more than half a billion dollars for lifesaving research. Through a unique and streamlined grants program, they seek out the brightest minds in science and medicine and give them the necessary resources to pursue their best ideas. As a result, researchers can make discoveries and design new approaches to address all aspects of breast cancer—and do so in record time.

To learn more about the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, visit them at www.bcrf.org.

About Evelyn Lauder

In 1989 Evelyn Lauder joined the Board of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. Over three years, she spearheaded a fundraising drive to establish the Evelyn H. Lauder Breast Center at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Center, the first comprehensive breast and diagnostic facility. At the center, expert care is available in a comfortable and private out-of-hospital setting designed with patients in mind. The center allows patients to attend to all their breast health needs under one roof.

Evelyn also launched The Esteé Lauder Companies Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign in 1992. Evelyn and Alexandra Penney, the former editor of Self Magazine, created the Pink Ribbon. These bows were initially provided to customers at department store cosmetic counters to reinforce the importance of breast cancer screening. Now, the signature ribbon is recognized worldwide as a symbol of breast health and is the universal symbol for breast cancer awareness.

Evelyn continued to be a passionate advocate in the campaign against breast cancer until her death in November 2011.

How Fire Mountain Gems and Beads Supports the Breast Cancer Research Foundation

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness October 2024, Fire Mountain is donating $5,000 and, over the next 12 months, selling three charms which will have 100% of purchase price donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. These charms are a great way to help fundraise through jewelry making and bring awareness to the fight against this disease. Simply add chain to make a pendant necklace or attach to a charm bracelet for a meaningful gift.  

100% of the sales benefiting the Breast Cancer Research Foundation

Each year, Chris (owner of Fire Mountain Gems and Beads) donates breast cancer awareness pins which employees purchase for $2 and wear during the month of October. All the funds raised by this company-wide event are donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

In 2003, Fire Mountain Gems employees created an amazing project called "Circle of Hope" that ran through 2018. This project raised both awareness and money for the campaign against breast cancer. Through the Circle of Hope project, compassionate artists from around the world donated their handcrafted beads for the cause. Then, each October, the one-of-a-kind beads were sold with 100% of the sales benefiting the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

To date, Fire Mountain Gems and Beads has donated over $68,000 in support of breast cancer research.