Suzanne Calton : Shanghai's openness helps my charity dream come true

Partner with enterprises to bring laughter back to "thrivers"

We have learned more about the initial ideas behind More Than Aware as the interview went on. Suzanne told us she chose the name More Than Aware because many times the focus of breast cancer campaigns is awareness, but that message has been going for 40 years with little response. People need to turn awareness into action--drink more water, do more exercise and eat more vegetables. During the annual Fun Run, the participants, both healthy ones and those in recovery, or "thrivers", a more proactive name Suzanne prefers, will be required to write down their wellness goals on the back of their pink and green T-shirts and keep the goal for the whole year.

Besides the annual Fun Run, More Than Aware has partnered with many enterprises to hold some lively and interesting activities to bring laughter and confidence back to thrivers. In September of last year, More Than Aware cooperated with White Collar Boxing to run a boxing course for a thousand attendees at the Kerry Hotel in Pudong to show the relentless spirit of those thrivers.

Boxing course for a thousand attendees

Incredibly, More Than Aware has also set a few Guinness World Records over the past few years. In 2013, 1 million pink and green balls were filled into an emptied Olympic-sized swimming pool at Pudong Kerry Hotel. Wellness pledges were written on the balls and 300 Breast Cancer thrivers jumped into the pool. In 2014, facilitated by partner Shangri-La Pudong, over 300 breast cancer thrivers joined the More Than Aware Team to set the record for "The Most People Eating Breakfast in Bed". In 2015, 350 Breast Cancer Thrivers joined the More Than Aware Team to set the record for the Most People Tossing Pizza Dough at Shangri-La Pudong.

 "The Most People Eating Breakfast in Bed" record

All these activities and idiosyncratic world records have brought laughter and confidence back to those in recovery from breast cancer, something they need beyond medical treatment and charitable funds. Moreover, healthy people can also learn something about how to be proactive and optimistic in their attitudes towards life.