Helping Hope Blossom With The White Dress Project Awards
Sometimes Bennett Awards gets to be a part of particularly special endeavors being pursued by individuals and organizations with a mission in their hearts. This was the case with a recent custom award the Bennett Team created for The White Dress Project, a Georgia-based non-profit organization committed to supporting research, awareness, and resources for those affected by uterine fibroids. Through a customized artistic award, we were excited to contribute to the celebrations and acknowledgements for their community of staff and supporters, mostly made up of women with their own meaningful and personal fibroid journeys.
An Award That Sheds Light
If you haven’t heard of uterine fibroids, you’re not alone: it’s an incredibly unrecognized condition in our society, seeped in misinformation and significantly lacking dialogue. This is probably not a coincidence given that this condition primarily affects African-American women, and it follows a long history of ignoring or dismissing health issues for women of color, not to mention women in general. An astounding 90% of African-American women will be diagnosed with uterine fibroids before the age of 50, and so will 70% of white women. This is clearly an issue that affects huge numbers of women regardless of race, and the amount of awareness most people have about uterine fibroids is inadequate given the numbers of lives affected by the condition.
Luckily The White Dress Project, or TWDP, has stepped up. This incredible organization has taken on the monumental and critical task of spreading awareness about uterine fibroids. This includes advocating for improved support and resources for women living with fibroids and building a community where these women can connect, empower, and inform themselves. The White Dress Project insists that women, especially women of color, deserve to have their health concerns believed and their health care options accessible. The organization has also become involved in supporting crucial research efforts around the condition, and continues to foster hope that a cure will be found one day.
The lack of information and awareness around uterine fibroids isn’t the only reason so many women “suffer in silence.” There is also shame, guilt, and stigma associated with the symptoms of this condition which include heavy menstrual bleeding, sometimes leading to severe anemia, pelvic pain, bloating, and fertility challenges. It is an emotionally and physically painful condition, and due to the heavy bleeding, could make wearing a white dress a potentially frightening or shameful choice. This is why this particular garment was chosen as the symbol and namesake of the organization, representing a symbol of hope and grace for female bodies that bleed and suffer uniquely in our overwhelmingly patriarchal world.
The image of a White Dress is also incorporated in the logo of the organization, and that image became the inspiration for the custom award that they collaboratively created with Bennett Awards. The designers at Bennett Awards brought this symbol to life by using white, semi-opaque glass. This choice of material allows light to shine through the cutout of the dress, letting it glow as a celebration and highlighting of the symbol. Additionally, glass is a less-costly option that allows the organization to respect their budget while still creating a premium-feeling award.
Awards To Empower Blossoming Legacies
These awards, known as The Blossom Awards, were given at the Night in White Gala, an event that’s part of The White Dress Project’s 3rd Annual Empowerment Experience. These awards were easy to reproduce in different sizes for the different tiers of recipients. They were given to medical professionals and patient advocates working to amplify mission- empowering testimonials, initiating innovative fibroids treatments, or doing resolute advocacy for maternal health. The different categories of Blossom Awards include Women’s Health Educator, Excellence In Patient Care, Global Patient Advocate, Champion of Hope, Unveiling Strength Within, Unbreakable Spirit, and the Black Women’s Health Vanguard. Awardees include actor, producer and activist Corinne Foxx who was given the Voice For Change Blossom Award, and historical legend Henrietta Lacks who was posthumously awarded the Women’s Health Legacy Blossom Award.
These were individuals who demonstrated unwavering dedication to amplifying the stories and supporting the health of fibroid patients across the globe. Additionally, the Night In White Gala was made even more special as the White Dress Project commemorated their 10th Anniversary, reflecting on a decade of unwavering support, incredible progress, and monumental achievements. It was powerful to see the recipients wearing their white dresses while holding the sculptural rendition of the white dresses in their hands, deeply impressing on everyone the reason they had gathered together to celebrate.
We were delighted that we could offer The White Dress Project discounts on their awards through our Common Goods Partnership program. This program was designed precisely for organizations like this, so that they can channel as many resources as possible towards the beautiful work they are doing in the world. These artistic custom awards reflect that beauty, and we are excited to see the work of The White Dress Project continue to blossom in the world as they make it better for women who deserve it.