Brava

October 2011

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Kamholz started small, doing photography for local Komen events until September 2008, when she found out about Passionately Pink for the Cure, an awareness and fundraising program in which groups ranging from entire communities, families, colleges and workplaces form teams and "go pink," donning pink gear while raising funds for and getting the word out about breast cancer. "I took the idea to [Dane County] Sheriff Dave Mahoney, and he embraced it 100 percent," she says. Soon, Kamholz was spearheading efforts in her former department to turn its offi ces (and offi cers) pink. Embraced by both women and men, team Justice for the Cure was ready for action. "It's important that the public sees the passionate side of law enforcement," she says. "It affects us, too, and this is my second family." Th at October, Dane County courthouse attendees may not have been prepared to see bailiffs in pink ties or sheriff's deputies sporting pink ribbon pins, but Kamholz wasn't stopping there. By 2009, Kamholz took the program countywide, en- gaging other law enforcement agencies in fundraising and aware- ness-building activities within their organizations. By 2010, teams were signing up across the state, showing support for team mem- bers and communities affected by breast cancer. Th e mission is to not only shine a spotlight on a disease that will be diagnosed in over 200,000 women just this year, but to raise funds as well. Justice for the Cure contributes 75 percent of donated funds toward local efforts to boost education, screening, treatment and survivorship programs. Meanwhile, the other 25 percent is donated to the na- tional Susan G. Komen for the Cure grant program for research. "I just can't do enough fast enough to fi nd a cure," Kamholz reiterates. "In August I went to our fi rst national conference, the NAWLEE [National Association of Women Law Enforcement Ex- ecutives] Conference, and they embraced [Justice for the Cure] with open arms. I've already got women telling me they are taking this back to their state law enforcement departments," she says, beaming. With Justice for the Cure going national and dreams of an in- ternational Justice for the Cure program dancing in her head, Ka- mholz knows the reality is that it may take time. Since each team must register online through Komen, materials have to be sent out to team captains and fundraising needs to be tracked, the effort has already been diffi cult to maintain. As she explains how a bigger launch may need to wait until next year, Kamholz puts her fi ngers to her temples with a look of frus- tration on her face. "Th ey were saying 'Slow down Joan, slow down,' and I'm think- ing, 'No, no, no, I need to do more!'" she exclaims. "I just know if we fi nd a cure for breast cancer, we'll fi nd a cure for all cancers." 54 BRAVA Magazine October 2011

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