Look To The Stars News: Spirit of Women Health Network

Charity Gifts For Valentine's Day

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 11:18:47 -0000

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, it is time to think about loving gifts that rise above the standard red roses. And there are a number of products available this month that not only tell that special person how much you care, but also help raise money for those who are less fortunate. Shoes, dresses, T-shirts, and even a second-hand swimsuit are on offer to help Cupid’s arrow hit its mark.

Actress Keira Knightley’s latest movie, Atonement, has recently received seven Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, and now fans have the chance to buy a very special part of the production. The dazzling green dress Knightley wore in the emotionally charged romantic scenes opposite James McAvoy is being auctioned by the Clothes Off Our Back Foundation to benefit Variety – The Children’s Charity.

The dress is one of several made for the scene, and was designed by Jacqueline Durran, who has been nominated for a Costume Design Academy Award for her work on the film. The auction runs from February 1 until March 1 at www.clothesoffourback.org, and bids have already reached $3,000.

Clothes Off Our Back is also selling a series of outfits donated by some of Hollywood’s most beautiful woman. The Little Black Dress Auction runs until March 13, and features dresses from the closets of Julianne Moore, Felicity Huffman, Mena Suvari, Gabrielle Union, and Jaime Pressley. Beneficiaries include Second Harvest, The Art of Elysium, World Education, and autism research.

If it is shoes you are after, look no further than the Spirit of Women Health Network’s Celebrity Red Shoe Auction. The auction is being run on eBay from February 5-14, and features footwear autographed by celebrities such as Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross, Rachael Ray, LeAnn Rimes, Alanis Morissette, and Dancing With The Stars’ Carrie Ann Inaba.

“This February, we hope to encourage women to take action for their heart health by dancing and exercising, discussing their health with their physicians, and helping to support women’s heart health research and education,” said Josh Davis, President of the Spirit of Women Health Network.

The auction is part of the Red Shoe Initiative, a national health education and action campaign that aims to encourage women to be aware of their heart health. As with past shoe auctions, proceeds will benefit several charities, including the National Stroke Association and the Peripheral Arterial Disease Coalition.

The auction will also precede Spirit of Women’s Day of Dance, an event that will involve dance and health screenings around the US on February 23.

Another gift idea this Valentine’s Day is the new charity T-shirt from designer Marc Jacobs – featuring a naked Victoria Beckham.

The T-shirt has been designed to raise awareness of the Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, an initiative with aspirations almost as big as their name. The program was established by Jacobs’ business partner, Robert Duffy, to raise consciousness of one of the most common types of cancer in the world – over 160,000 new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed every year, with around 48,000 deaths.

“Since we moved to California, I have realized how important it is to practice safe sun for myself, and to keep my three boys skin well protected as well,” said Beckham. “Skin cancer is a huge problem, and I really wanted to help raise awareness by taking part in Marc’s initiative.”

The T-shirts are available at Marc Jacobs’ stores in America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia for $35, and even Victoria’s husband David has been seen sporting one recently, at the opening of the David Beckham World of Sport in Brazil.

The Victoria Beckham line of T-shirts follows a similar series designed by Marc Jacobs last year, featuring Heidi Klum, Julianne Moore, and Naomi Campbell, which raised $60,000.

Finally this month, if you are looking for something really special to give your loved one this Valentine’s Day, why not buy Nicole Kidman’s old swimsuit – it is to be auctioned in Sweden to raise funds for poor families in India.

The story behind the swimsuit is long and twisty. Kidman visited Sweden six years ago to film Dogville, and hired a private pool while there. However, she left her black one-piece swimming costume in the changing rooms when she went home. Attempts to return it failed, and it was donated to a cancer charity, where it raised $4,700 at auction. It was later donated to the Salvation Army, where it was auctioned for a further $865.

A new auction will raise funds for Erikshjalpen, a charity that aims to buy cows in India with money raised.

The swimsuit is framed and is expected to raise $1,500.

Celebrity Shoe Auction for Women’s Heart Health

Wed, 05 Sep 2007 00:42:26 -0000

Spirit of Women Health Network and Carlos by Carlos Santana footwear announce today the opening of bidding for the Spirit of Women Red Shoe Celebrity Auction, an online auction of celebrity-autographed footwear that will benefit several health organizations, including the National Stroke Association and P.A.D. (Peripheral Arterial Disease Coalition). Shoes up for auction were autographed by celebrities including Courteney Cox, Nicollette Sheridan and Carlos Santana.

“While women are typically the caretakers of their families, they often fail to take action for their own health,” said Josh Davis, president, Spirit of Women. “We hope this auction will catch women’s attention by encouraging them to take action for their heart health while simultaneously giving them a wonderful opportunity to raise money for important women’s heart health issues.”

The Red Shoe Celebrity Auction is the national cornerstone of “The Red Shoe Initiative”, a national health education and action campaign that aims to encourage women on a local level throughout the year to take important steps for their heart health.

Other stars involved in the auction include Brenda Strong, Felicity Huffman and Laila Ali. Each of the participating celebrities has autographed a single shoe of the six red pairs donated by “Carlos by Carlos Santana” footwear, which will be on display at www.spiritofwomen.com/donate and auctioned in September.

In addition to the online auction, the 2007 The Red Shoe Initiative will include local “Red Shoe” events in communities across the United States. Each event will take on the flair and character of the community that serves as a host. These events will consist of evening receptions, fashion shows, and various activities in skating rinks and other venues that encourage women to take action for their heart health.

An additional auction scheduled to coincide with “Day of Dance for Women’s Health”, which takes place on February 23, 2007, is expected to include shoes autographed by other high-profile celebrities.

Carlos by Carlos Santana

“Carlos by Carlos Santana” fashion forward footwear reflects the dynamic passion and energy that defines the music of Santana. Hip, fun and fashionable, Carlos brand shoes are available in a rainbow of contemporary styles sporting the latest trends in materials, colors, shapes and detailing. The vibrant “Carlos by Carlos Santana” line donates a portion of it proceeds from sales to the Milagro Foundation.

Best known for the legendary group that bears his name, Carlos Santana has been an elemental force in global musical culture for almost four decades. Since Santana’s landmark 1969 debut album and explosive performance at Woodstock that year, Santana has sold over 100 million records and performed for more than 100 million fans internationally. Carlos’ many major awards include a record-tying nine GRAMMYs for a single project for 1999’s Supernatural, as well as three Latin GRAMMYs and scores of other music and humanitarian honors. As central to Santana’s identity as his visionary artistic legacy is his spirit of giving back – in 1998, Carlos and his wife, author Deborah Santana, established the Milagro Foundation, which has granted over $2 million to organizations supporting underserved youth in the areas of health, education and the arts worldwide. For more information, visit www.santana.com

Spirit of Women

The Spirit of Women Health Network is a national coalition of hospitals and healthcare facilities in more than 70 U.S. cities joined together to improve women’s health by inspiring access and action on local, regional and national levels. Utilizing national resources to improve healthcare in local communities, Spirit of Women aims to educate and care for women in a unique way that emphasizes total well-being — body, mind, and spirit – and impacts all aspects of a woman’s life, including family, health and work. Though a variety of means, including educational events, networking opportunities, consumer loyalty programs, national awards, and promotion of research, Spirit of Women addresses health topics such as menopause, cancer, incontinence, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, healthy pregnancy, and many more. For more information, visit www.spiritofwomen.com/donate.

Look To The Stars News: Spirit of Women Health Network

Charity Gifts For Valentine's Day

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Celebrity Shoe Auction for Women’s Heart Health

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