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October 9, 2008
“Painted Ladies’ Race For Breast Cancer
Maayan Jaffe
Staff Reporter
Seven “Painted Ladies” and a team of more than a dozen other volunteers will be on the run next weekend, Oct. 19, when they take part in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.
The women, all who have had breast surgery performed by Pikesville plastic surgeon Dr. Dean Kane, were featured strutting their stuff at an event last year ... in full body paint.
Lauri Kane, who runs the Center for Cosmetic Surgery and MediSpa with her husband, said she was recruiting patients for an annual meeting about breast surgery last year when she began hearing the stories of how these women’s lives were changed from their surgical experience.
Instead of holding a meeting, she held a ball for more than 120 people, where seven select women showed off their surgery under body paint designs by local artist Jennifer Seidel. Marley Fine Jewelry loaned $100,000 pieces to each woman for the night. Jennifer’s mother, Linda Seidel, did makeup. Photographer Shawn Levin offered a photo shoot.
During the night, one woman, Chandra DeLaine Campbell, a breast cancer survivor, told her story. Mrs. Kane was so moved that she decided she had to do something. She contacted the Komen Foundation to find out what she could do to help.
The answer: Raise funds.
As a result, Mrs. Kane published a book, “Painted Ladies: Celebrating Life,” a culmination of the magical event that depicts the seven women in photos and describes their personal life stories. A portion of the proceeds go to the foundation.
The book will be on sale — and the women on hand to sign it — Oct. 27 at “The Reunion of the Painted Ladies,” which runs from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in the Kanes’ office at 1 Reservoir Circle in Pikesville.
“This is a celebration of women who have gained self-esteem and now feel good about themselves. Their breast surgeries had an impact,” said Mrs. Kane.
But they’ll also run together on the 19th. Will they be in body paint?
No, said Mrs. Kane, but they will have a painted ladies T-shirt, whose design is a life-size image of perfectly enhanced breasts that “will make the women look just as if they were in body paint.”
To join the team, contact Mrs. Kane at or call 410-602-3322. Registration is $30 and includes the shirt.
Said Mrs. Kane: “Seeing these women transform… it was precious!”