Join us as we tell you our story of survivors, fighters, and leaders at SteelSeries, who have rallied to support Breast Cancer Awareness month. Read our story and see how you can join in.
Our SteelSeries members from Lille, France, have done it again. We've spoken before with them when introducing Lilly: Girls for Glory, our new icon and symbol representing women in the company. This year, our French coworkers fight for awareness and rally behind a cause: supporting awareness and raising funds during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Once again, our fighters ran the MUDGIRL course, a charity race that they ran in support of this cause.
"We truly believe it's good means to raise awareness and support," said Cécile Chiron, People & Culture Manager at SteelSeries based in France, who participated in the run. "By running this race, we aimed to raise awareness and support for those affected by breast cancer. Together, we can make a difference."
MUDGIRL isn't just a walk in the park or your typical endurance event; it's a 3 mile (5 kilometer) run filled over 17 difficult obstacles to overcome. It takes a lot of strength, agility, and balance to get through challenging tasks like balancing across a tight rope, crawling through mud, and carrying additional weight.
A survivor's story
Among the participants of the run, we want to highlight Barbara and tell her story. A 50-year-old French SteelSeries employee from France, she was diagnosed with breast cancer 3 years ago.
"It hasn't been easy, but my positive side has enabled me to get through this period of my life," Barbara said. "The most important thing for me is to be supported and surrounded by family, friends, and colleagues."
She underwent a mastectomy with reconstruction of her lumbar spine. In her 9 years of work at SteelSeries, she said that her colleagues not only showed incredible understanding and benevolence, but also respected her limits and needs.
"These personal and professional human ties have been my road to recovery," she said. "With support from SteelSeries, we run through the mud with obstacles that we all overcome together, supporting each other. The proceeds go to a good cause, and what a pleasure it was to be able to share the experience with colleagues, some of which have become good friends.
Barbara inspires us through example as a survivor, and her resolve through her ordeal is impressive, truly displayed through her participation in the rigorous obstacle course that is the MUDGIRL run.
Help us raise funds for the National Breast Cancer Foundation
During October, we are donating proceeds from our Pink Collection entirely to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Our SteelSeries Twitch stream is also matching this with its revenue.
Your purchases of a Nova Booster Pack, PBT Keycaps, or PrismCaps, a QcK mousepad, and more, all in Bright Pink help toward the cause. Pair them up with your current or future gear to represent awareness and donate funds at the same time.
National Breast Cancer Awareness Foundation has been helping women for over 30 years, embarking on a mission to provide help and education to those affected by breast cancer. 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with the disease, and there no known cure at the moment. Early diagnosis is crucial, which is why the organization offers free and innovative programs to help.
According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer death rates declined by 42% since 1989 to 2021, largely due to early detection and treatments. Join the fight to raise more awareness with SteelSeries & the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
