Breast Cancer Dollars and Coins, otherwise known as BC/DC, is bringing the Pink October concert and dance night to the City Center on Oct. 18 at 7 p.m.
BC/DC is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that hosts an annual Pink October fundraiser concert featuring live rock ’n’ roll music to raise money for breast cancer research.
According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the most common female cancer in the United States after skin cancer. It accounts for one third of new female cancers each year. For co-founder and treasurer Kimberly Schmidt, the connection to breast cancer was personal.
“Twenty years ago, I was diagnosed with breast cancer,” Schmidt said. “I didn’t take too many pictures during those months, but when I look at the few, a flood of emotions surfaces … from the clumps of hair I would find on my pillow in the morning, to my fingers so sore from the chemo drugs I couldn’t button or zip without help.”
Eighteen years later, Schmidt came up with the idea of leveraging rock ’n’ roll for breast cancer research.
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In 2023, they held the informal pilot launch of a BC/DC concert in Monticello, Illinois, during the class reunion of Schmidt and BC/DC CEO and co-founder Randy Brown.
“I thought it was a brilliant idea, obviously it was connected to a real-life situation Kim was facing,” Brown said.
The pre-launch event was a huge success with over 400 attendees at a small venue.
“On a funny note, because our class year was 1983, I told Randy that I wanted to raise $1,983,” Schmidt said. “We ended up raising over $10,000.”
Following that success, Schmidt and Brown proceeded with the formal launch of BC/DC, which was held at the historic Virginia Theatre.
The concert was once again successful, with approximately 400 people attending the fundraiser. After paying expenses, Carle Cancer Institute and Carle Health Center for Philanthropy received the proceeds.
The concert at City Center will feature the talents of Donald Fagan, lead vocalist of the number one Foreigner tribute band, Feels Like the First Time.
“I was referred to Randy, and he explained to me what he was doing with the fundraiser,” Fagan said. “I happened to have a personal connection to breast cancer in my family. My stepmother battled breast cancer for 5 years. When he shared what we were raising money for, I was all in.”
Doors for the concert will open at 6 p.m. with an ’80s dance party going until around 7 p.m. Afterward, the band will do a live performance.
“The whole night, we will have this digital board running, spreading positive messages about early detection,” Brown said. “Detect early, treat early. That’s the message we are pushing. We are using music as leverage.”
Students can use the promo code UoI to get $10 tickets. All net proceeds will be donated to Mills Breast Cancer Institute.
