Donation to OPEtober

When you donate, you get: 

Each OPEtober donation will receive a Cool Season Starter Pack and will be entered to win a lawn consultation from Ope in Spring 2027. 

100% of your donation goes directly to VraniCURE, supporting Metastatic Breast Cancer research. 

Qualifying donations must be completed between 10/1/26-10/31/26 and have valid contact information included in order to be awarded the following. Starter Packs will be delivered electronically shortly after donation. Winners for Ope's 2027 Lawn Consultation will be chosen at random from qualified donations and will be contacted directly the first week of November 2026.  

VraniCURE's Mission of Impact and Advocacy:

Driven by purpose and passion, our mission is to create meaningful change in the lives of those affected by metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Through fundraising, education, and community support, we honor those we've lost and uplift those still fighting.

VraniCURE's Mission includes:

1. Fund Research in Honor of Thrivers —Spread knowledge and awareness about metastatic breast cancer through social media, public speaking, and media engagements.
   
2. Educate and Raise Awareness — Provide encouragement, resources, and community for individuals living with MBC to ensure they feel seen, supported, and never alone.
3. Support the MBC Community —Provide encouragement, resources, and community for individuals living with MBC to ensure they feel seen, supported, and never alone.

Why this matters: 

Breast cancer will affect 1 in 8 women, according to the American Cancer Society. After skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in the U.S.

Metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is cancer that originated in the breasts and has spread to other parts of the body. It may be apparent at the time of initial breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, or it can occur months or years later as recurrent breast cancer.

The most common place for breast cancer to spread is to the bones. The liver and the lungs are other areas where breast cancer can metastasize.

100% of breast cancer deaths occur because of metastasis, and almost 100% of people whose breast cancer has metastasized will die from it. In the United States alone, this means that more than 40,000 vibrant lives are lost each year.

Despite these stark realities, the popular breast cancer fundraising movements give on average only 2-5% of their research funds to researching metastasis. Instead, their primary focus is on prevention, which does nothing to help those already diagnosed, and early detection, which does not impact those facing the ultimate death sentence of stage 4 breast cancer. And while only 6% - 10% of initial breast cancer diagnoses are metastatic, 30% of patients diagnosed with earlier stage breast cancer will eventually develop stage 4 breast cancer and die.

This does not need to happen. Many metastasis researchers believe that metastatic breast cancer could become a chronic, rather than terminal, disease, if only there were more money to do the research necessary to develop effective treatments. As such, METAvivor has launched a nationwide effort to raise awareness about metastatic breast cancer, with a push to dedicate 30% of all breast cancer research funds toward the metastatic breast cancer that 30% of patients will ultimately face.