A breast cancer charity, a model, and a telecoms company may not seem like a likely trio, but that’s exactly who has teamed up to deliver a first at KAMERS/Makers this year. The KAMERS/Makers summer shows at Blaauwklippen, Stellenbosch from 25 to 30 October and St David Marist in Sandton from 29 November to 4 December will feature a He(art) Gallery - an interactive portrait exhibition - with a difference.
Cancer charity Reach for Recovery and its new brand ambassador Marli du Toit (a fashion model
and creative content producer) have joined forces with Euphoria Telecom to co-create the He(art) Gallery experience, featuring portraits of 12 cancer survivors. There will also be two special Punch for Pink Fashion Shows at KAMERS/Makers Blaauwklippen on Thursday 27 October featuring 30 breast cancer survivors on the ramp. These beautiful warriors will be musically supported by DJ Dani B, a fellow breast cancer conqueror.
As Reach for Recovery’s new ambassador, Du Toit wanted to design a dynamic event that could combine her strengths, passions and networking abilities to raise funds and awareness for Reach for Recovery. Euphoria Telecom came on board to sponsor the He(art) Gallery, having selected Reach for Recovery as its primary CSI charity for 2022 and beyond.
Euphoria Telecom’s national marketing manager Lauren Pybus says it was a natural fit. “Our CSI committee wanted to find a charity we could support over a period of years, and cancer seemed the logical focus because the disease affects everyone. Many people in the Euphoria family have been personally affected by friends and family battling cancer, and we wholeheartedly believe in and back Reach for Recovery’s work. Plus, our team loves Marli’s energy and wants to help her drive the cause forward,” she says.
“When we first conceived the idea of a gallery at KAMER/Makers everyone was thinking of black and white portraits showing the strength and tenacity of our survivors,” Du Toit says, “but I wanted to shoot them in the biggest, puffiest, poofiest dresses I could find and make them up and shower them in glitter and show them twirling and whirling like princesses. My biggest challenge with breast cancer was loving myself through the physical changes that happen - losing your hair, your eyelashes, your breasts. This loss of femininity was a huge heartbreak and I wanted to reinstate access to the feminine heart in my survivors.”
What has resulted is an exhibition of light, colour and hope.
All visitors to KAMERS/Makers can explore the He(art) Gallery, which encourages them to ‘have a heart, do your part’, donate to Reach for Recovery, and get a small heart to wear on their sleeves.
"The space is all about generating funds - and creating awareness, so there will be a few big photo moments inside the gallery,” says Pybus. “Visitors can take selfies and share them on their socials with the hashtags #HaveAHeartDoYourPart, #ReachForRecovery, and #EuphoriaTelecom. Euphoria will be looking for these pics online and making spot donations to Reach for Recovery on behalf of guests, and guests can also donate in the gallery itself.”
The He(art) Gallery is open from 9am to 5pm every day for the duration of KAMERS/Makers.
Reach for Recovery is selling front row tickets for the two fashion shows (one at 11am and one at 2pm) on Thursday 27 October. Other seats are free with the entrance ticket to KAMERS. Tickets are available via plankton.mobi - https://plankton.mobi/Events/EventBooking/330b5c35-ec42-ed11-9714-00155d636701. All proceeds will go to the charity.
“The fashion show will be the first ever hosted at KAMERS/Makers,” comments du Toit, “and we are using it to raise funds and to showcase a joyous celebration of survival and the re-emergence of life.”
