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FAQ2017-06-27T09:44:56+00:00

About Casiopeea

Casiopeea is an association which strives to promote sport and health, through actions with direct and visible impact on the society. Each year, we hold the Casiopeea Races, events dedicated to all the people who want to contribute to improving the lives of women who suffer from breast cancer. Their donation is the entry fee, which contributes to purchasing breast prostheses for women who underwent a mastectomy.

Another course of action is the initiation of actions to promote a healthy lifestyle in companies and schools. The association has created a wide range of programs that adjust the recommendations of experts to the respective group.

In addition, we hold workshops in and outside the hospitals, standing by the side of patients with severe conditions, in their journey to a healthy life.

We have planned many actions to support the people. In turn, we need support to fulfil our mission. Our doors are always open to the volunteers who want to support the important cause by which we stand. If you are over 18 and you want to help, please write to us, at casiopeea.contact@gmail.com, mentioning your time availability and the way in which you consider you can get involved.

When know that our fast-paced lives sometimes stand in the way of our desire to help. If you want to be volunteers, but time does not allow it, there are other ways in which you can contribute. You can make a donation or you can redirect 2% of your income tax to a non-profit entity. Our proposal for you is the Casiopeea Association. The procedure is very simple and all the data and steps to follow are available here.

About the Race and the March

The Family March and the races are events meant to underline the importance of a healthy lifestyle, in which both children and adults have the habit of exercising. Because this is a charity event, the participants can support breast cancer survivors, while spending a pleasant Saturday with their family and friends.

For more efficient planning, the team will meet a few times, before the race. Therefore, it is impossible for us to accept volunteers on the day of the race, as the roles are already assigned. If you want to become a volunteer, please send an e-mail at least one week before the race.

You can register online and pay the entry fee by bank transfer: RO64RNCB0072124220940001, open at BCR District 1, with the text ‘Donation for Casiopeea 2017’, in the transfer details and present the bank statement during the event day. Please register online, as we cannot accept registration in the event day.

The races are designed depending on the age categories, from children of ages between 6 and 8, to adults. The distances range from 0.5 km to 6 km. In addition, you can also register for the Family March, which is a 3-km walk. You do not have to be sportspeople or be very fit to participate. However, we recommend two or three training sessions before the event, consisting in walks or light jogs in the park. We are enthusiastic about the event and we hope you will join us to do good together!

Of course! No one is too young to get accustomed to a healthy lifestyle and enjoy the satisfaction of making someone happy. We organize races for children (0.5 km – 6-8 years old and 0.75 km – 9-11 years old) and for teenagers (1.7 km – 12-16 years old). In addition, if you want to participate together, you can choose the Family March, dedicated to all ages, including 6-year old children.

We recommend that you see a doctor before making such decision. In addition, you can choose a version which entails less physical effort, such as the Family March.

In order to make sure that there are no incidents, the participants fill out a statutory declaration, stating that they are physically capable of participating in the race/march.

Sure, you can bring your pets in the race village, as long as you supervise them permanently and you observe the security rules (leash, muzzle – in case of aggressive or large dogs) and the rules set by the Bucharest Administration of Lakes, Parks and Recreation, for the space where the race takes place.

You can participate in the march on your tricycle, roller skates or other devices, in the event village. In terms of access to the march and route of the race, the rules for participation in this type of sports events, i.e. no accessories, are observed. If you children bring such a device, please supervise them and take safety measures (helmet, elbow pads and knee pads). There is a special tent in the village, for the storage of personal belongings.

You will receive the shirt in the race village, before the start. Therefore, please arrive 20-30 minutes before the race starts. We recommend that your wear training shoes and pants. You do not need any other piece of special equipment. There is a special tent in the village, for the storage of personal belongings.

The warm-up session is organized per age category, right before the start. We highly recommend that you participate in the warm-up session, for your safety or your children’s.

You do not need a certificate. If you have health issues, we recommend that you see your doctor, before registration.

There will be hydration points, both in the race village, and on route. If you have a special regimen, you can bring with you everything you know you need.

We recommend that you do not bring much luggage or that you leave it with a trustworthy person, during the race. There is a special tent in the village, for the storage of personal belongings.

Fruit and other snacks are available in the race village.You will receive for free water, energy drinks and/or fruit in the special tent in the village.

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About the Donations

External breast prostheses – most of them consisting of silicone gel and a plastic skin – are devices which imitate the shape of the breast and can be worn after a mastectomy. They come with a special bra, with pockets, which ensures fitting. Their purpose is to rebalance pressure on the spine, since the surgical procedure results in a pressure imbalance. In addition, they support the emotional recovery of women suffering from breast cancer.

Cancer is an overwhelming disease, which takes over the lives of patients – without asking for permission. After going through strong emotions, including anxiety, 75% of the women suffering from cancer decide to undergo the surgery, which is perceived as a mutilation of their bodies. External breast prostheses act on the psyche as well, by helping the winners regain control and restoring their feminine identity, one of the casualties of surgery.

Prostheses are an alternative to breast reconstruction and they act both on the body and the mind. They play a support role in the full recovery of women undergoing a mastectomy, balancing pressure on the spine. Emotional support is extremely important in this situation. When a person loses a part of their body, the shock is tremendous. In this case, breasts are more than a body part; they represent an identity component, based on which women define themselves; breasts are connected to intimacy, femininity, sexuality and maternity. Practically, the identity of a woman is shattered after a mastectomy – either simple or double. Prostheses help restore the identity and self-esteem, which are essential for the recovery process.

Depending on the weight or material, there are several types of prostheses. There are partial prostheses, for the cases in which breasts were not removed completely, light prostheses, when the devices imitate only the shape of the breasts, attachable, which are fitted directly on the skin and can be removed at night, silicone prostheses, which imitate best the shape and weight of the breast.

The healing period for the operated area is of approximately 2 months, period during which the skin cicatrizes. The external prosthesis can be worn after these two months.

Any possible beneficiary is invited to contact the association, at casiopeea.contact@gmail.com, attaching the medical documents which prove the execution of a mastectomy. Possible beneficiaries will be contacted by the association representatives, after analyzing these documents, in order of the requests on the waiting list.

The donation ceremony takes place towards the end of the year, after making the measurements and placing the order for prostheses. The number of prostheses depends on the number of participants in the race, who pay the entry fee in the amount of RON 40, for adults, and RON 20, for children (12-16 yo) and RON 10, for children (6-11 yo).