i pretty much love this . . .

(article is from venus)

Ink for a good cause

The Healing Art Foundation and Tats for a Cure™ help breast cancer survivors embrace their beauty through tattoos

By Selena Fragassi
Published: October 10th, 2008 | 4:10pm

Monica Louise Terrazas was only 41 years old when she lost her battle to breast cancer in January 2001. A caring wife, devoted mother of four, and successful CEO of a California-based mortgage company, her passing came all too soon for family and friends and marked the beginning of an especially dramatic year for cousin France Garcia.

While still mourning Terrazas' loss, "things just got worse," Garcia says. "I was working as a high impact designer in the adult industry when I was injured and told I could not use my right hand or arm to design anymore. Then, my husband Al (aka "TatDude"), suffered a major heart attack at the age of 34."

With both her graphic arts career and her husband's tattoo profession in jeopardy, "I needed a way to take control back of my life," Garcia says. So, as she and her husband recovered together, they were inspired by an idea that would combine their talent of visual arts with their newfound passion for helping breast cancer survivors.

What developed was called The Healing Art Foundation, a not-for-profit charity set up in memory of Terrazas that combined a two-tiered approach of services for survivors and education for others at risk. Through its Tats for a Cure™ initiative, the organization pays for alternative options like tattoos, permanent make-up, areola re-pigmentation, and piercings for survivors living with the scars of devastating surgeries. The Save the Boobies™ campaign provides awareness and prevention through monthly exam promotions and knowledge of a less talked about strain called inflammatory breast cancer that generally presents itself at a younger age.

"Starting the charity for Monica was therapy for me, both spiritually and physically," Garcia says. "Not only did it help me deal with her loss, but in the process, I taught myself how to do my graphic arts with my left hand."

In time, Garcia would not only master command of her non-dominant hand, but would also gain strength in her right hand by learning the art of tattooing. "It was something I always wanted to do," she says, "but now I get to tattoo cancer survivors, which is just awesome."

Providing the service is something Garcia prides herself on because it helps her give survivors the opportunity to take back control of their bodies. "It's a way of saying 'Fuck You!' to cancer — 'It's my body and I decide what I can do!'" she says. "We offer options for survivors that insurance and medical treatments normally don't. What we provide is an alternative to reconstructive surgery that also helps with the healing process because survivors can actually get tattoos to represent what they've gone through and their spirit seems to be lifted tremendously by being able to express that."

One example Garcia provides is a woman by the name of Amy Shaw. "Amy actually has the largest piece we've provided," says Garcia. "She has a pink ribbon that wraps around her shoulders and comes to the front of her chest, covering the area where she lost both of her breasts. It's a symbol of the breast cancer ribbon, but it has the hands of God coming down and hugging her. Inside are details of her life, details of her children — everything that means a lot to her, she can be reminded of every day instead of looking at a scar."

Through the efforts of Garcia and her husband, the mission and outreach of The Healing Art Foundation has vastly expanded. This April marks the foundation's 2nd Annual Tats & Arts for a Cure Convention at the Los Angeles Convention Center, which will also include a benefit walk. Other initiatives include tours and compilation CDs that have included the participation of such heavyweights as the Red Hot Chili Peppers and TSOL, plus a variety of merchandise and PSAs that have helped both to publicize their efforts and fund the costly cosmetic services.

"Our shop, Tatdude's Healing Art Studio, is the main sponsor," Garcia says. "Whenever the funding gets low, we step in. But we greatly need donations since we want to ensure that the tattoos we supply for survivors are always quality."

Through others' generosity, the Garcias are able to continue spreading the message about the value of prevention and the cost of losing a life like Terrazas'. "Just do me a favor," says Garcia. "Look at your breasts every day and make sure they're okay, because we don't want to lose any more people."

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For more information, visit healingartt.com, tatsforacure.com, and tatdudeshealingartstudio.com.