What started as one woman’s vow to honor her best friend has become an enduring tradition of hope, support and community action in the Yampa Valley, as the nonprofit organization The Bust of Steamboat celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.

The Bust of Steamboat is the signature fundraiser of the Yampa Valley Breast Cancer Awareness Project, an all-volunteer organization that started when Deb Curd-Kinnecom lost her friend Amy to breast cancer at age 40.

“Diagnosed at just 36 — an age once considered ‘too young’ for breast cancer — Amy fought bravely for four years, facing not only the disease but also the challenges of limited insurance coverage and financial hardship,” Kinnecom said. “I swore no other woman should fight alone. In Amy’s honor, we started the Yampa Valley Breast Cancer Awareness Project, and one year later, The Bust of Steamboat was born. I never dreamed it would still be thriving 25 years later.”

The fundraising effort started with a live auction to sell decorated bras to the highest bidder in the baggage room of the Depot Art Center in Steamboat Springs, and then grew into a community gala auctioning works of art at Three Peaks Grill, Kinnecom said. By 2019, Bust of Steamboat evolved to “Paint the Town Pink” with the goal of casting a wider community net for a greater fundraising impact.

Since 2000, Bust of Steamboat has raised some $900,000 in funds to help Routt and Moffat county residents cover costs related to breast cancer care, ranging from mammograms to gas money for radiation treatments.

Committee members say the organization’s goal has remained simple and powerful — “no one should face breast cancer without support.” Through the years, committee members have joined to help due to their own reasons.

“I first got involved during the decorated bra era, creating bras with my closest friends for the auction,” said jewelry maker Tibby Speare of Steamboat. “When four of the nine of us were diagnosed, it shook our worlds. My role became corralling artists for the live auction, and the community’s generosity kept us going year after year. We remain committed to reminding everyone of the life-saving importance of early detection.”

Committee member Bonnie Madderom said, “As a two-time breast cancer survivor, early detection saved my life. My goal is to make sure every woman in our community has access to mammograms and care.”

“Any one of us could get the diagnosis at any time, any day,” said committee member and Routt County resident Marlene Fisher. “That’s why we push prevention by helping women get their annual mammograms.”

Retired nurse Jan Fritz said, “I’ve seen how much a wig or gas money for radiation can lighten the load. That’s why I’ve stayed committed to this cause.”

The committee raises funds and awareness to encourage the community to take breast health seriously, Kinnecom added.

“One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime,” Kinnecom said. “Our work is about saving lives through early detection, providing support during treatment and reminding every woman she is not alone.”

Each year, 45 to 50 women in the Yampa Valley are diagnosed with breast cancer, according to the Bust group, which has raised $900,000 since 2000.

During Breast Cancer Awareness Month throughout October, the committee is asking local businesses, individuals and residents to join the effort by raising funds, making donations and helping spread the message that early detection saves lives. Learn more at TheBustofSteamboat.org.

Doctors recommend women start regular, annual mammogram screenings at age 40. Patients with a first-degree family history of breast cancer should speak to their physician about earlier screenings.

To schedule a mammogram at Memorial Regional Health in Craig, call 970-826-3150. A medical provider’s prescription is required.

To schedule a mammogram at UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center in Steamboat, call 970-871-2399. A prescription is required for the first screening mammogram, but not for subsequent years.