Do What Needs to be Done
Voices sing "Take the First Step To Check for Breast Cancer"
A from-the-heart song, "It's a Good Thing You're Here," is a musical variation on the national theme for women to lower their risks for breast cancer with a mammogram. As a reminder to "get checked," the sing-along words in the card and compact disc offer nine versions--gospel, rap, country, jazz, pop and instrumental--featuring voices of breast cancer survivors, their children and husbands. As an educational piece, this greeting card/CD combination urges women to keep mammograms and screenings at the top of their to-do list.
Creator and producer Dawn Coppola said, "I can't imagine living without my Mom, and the lyrics are a reminder of how important people that we care about are in our lives. I want her and all the other moms, sisters and friends to know how they impact the lives around them and how important it is for them to get checked."
In less than two decades, breast cancer has gone from a whispered-about women's disease to a national voice that continues to grow in volume and number. Coppola explained, "I included the words in the card and an instrumental version on the CD, so you can sing the song yourself to your loved ones. Sometimes we all put off checking; sometimes we are too tired to remember. But, this theme song gives voice to the people in your life who need you to stay alive. The lyrics of the song gently urge all women to keep on trying because other want them to be there--day after day."
"It's a Good Thing You're Here" calls for a commitment by women to take charge of their health by learning about better screenings and treatments. For more information, go to website: http://www:itsagoodthingyourehere.com
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Lyrics:
It's a good thing you're here.
I don't know what I'd do, living even one second without you.
It's a good thing you take that moment to check, so my moments with you will go on.
It's a good thing you give me the time that you do,
Cause where on earth would I find another angel like you?
So keep watch, take good care of the life I hold dear.
You are precious to me.
It's a good thing you're here.
It's a good thing you're here.
And I'm so happy. I love you girl.
To some that may sound sappy.
But if you watch, eat right and pray,
I'll guarantee you that we'll all be here another day.
I want to see your smiling face at my house, in my arms, in every place.
When I reach out, I want you to be near me.
Take care of yourself, do you hear me?
I do not take your love for granted.
It seems like life with you's enchanted.
And even if I do not say it, I think you're way hip.
Trust in God to walk beside.
Face your life and do not hide.
Get checked girl, sweet angel baby.
Forever you, I love you like crazy.
And, it's a good thing, hey, hey
Do it cause you love me.
Don't be afraid and don't be stupid.
Get checked.
... 2000 Dawn Coppola Music
BUSINESS BACKGROUND PARAGRAPH
CD about breast cancer
To promote breast cancer awareness, Dawn Coppola wrote a song, "It's a Good Thing You're Here," and decided to release the song in an unusual way. She produced a compact disc and custom designed the packaging as a greeting card. This CD/card was recorded at Little Rock's Trimble Productions and printed at Peerless Printing. The nine musical tracks feature very different arrangements of the lyrics, from gospel to country. The initial production cost was underwritten by a grant from the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation through the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. But the majority of the duplication and distribution costs were covered by a personal bank loan and family support from her parents, Evelyn and Angelo Coppola. Everyone involved--from musicians and singers to the trademark attorney--was paid as work for hire. This Arkansas product is currently being sold at a few local businesses that are interested in advancing the breast cancer cause. Her two goals are to secure national retail distribution with a major chain and to partner with corporate institutions that support women's issues.
FEMALE-POINT-OF-VIEW PARAGRAPHS
To Praise the Qualities of Women and All the Nurturing They Do
"There are several layers of meaning designed into this compact disc," said Coppola. The interlocking bubbles of water were chosen for the art on the CD, because the bubbles parallel the lives of so many women. The good that women do impacts their children and others who, in turn, impact even more people. So, all that positive influence becomes interlocking like bubbles in churning water. Equally important, as you're going through your life, you generally don't see the people you are influencing. Your life is like a boat that is going forward, which leaves a wake of influencing bubbles. But, if anyone looking at the CD art has other thoughts about the image of bubbles, I'd like for them to e-mail me with their thoughts."
Coppola added, "The whole point of sending the CD as a card came to me because I wanted to communicate to my Mom through a printed way. The greeting card can continue to remind her how she has affected my life. I am trying to continue her positive wake of bubbles in my actions, which she started. So, it becomes a full circle of the giver and the receiver."
Each panel in the greeting card is important, said Coppola. "The first page contains educational facts, which are important to accept. This page speaks to the many people who are in denial about the risks. The middle page lists the different types of songs, which represent all kinds of people. As a global message, I wanted to show that we are all important to our families and friends. The far right panel in the card is blank for a purpose. Senders can fill in that space with their own words and record what they feel. Sometimes people don't tell their Moms that they love them. This space gives them the opportunity to write it down. On the next panel, I put the title of the song, which incorporates blue sky, colorful flowers and red hearts to represent how simply being alive should be cherished. Combined together, they symbolize how much more dear your life is when you become aware how much you mean to others. I'm hopeful that it sends another message to women to be checked.
Coppola explained, "I decided to feature a typical physician's office on the back because, I know, for a lot of people it may seem foreboding. But, it's really not as scary as you think. It's just a room full of people who have all come together to work together. The patients, their families, the physicians, nurses and technicians all have a common goal--checking for breast cancer.
"We all know that the war against breast cancer won't be won with an end-all cure. That would be unrealistic," said Coppola. "Battles are being fought--and won--however, through prevention and better screenings. To focus on the importance of screening for breast cancer, I selected a deep pick color for the CD/card cover, which features a radiograph image of a woman's breast. This image has been graphically altered and copyrighted."
Media contact: Bonnie Brandsgaard 501-686-8013 [email protected]
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