Born
and raised in San Diego, Shaney Jo Darden's first experience with
the desert was traveling to visit her grandparents who lived in
Palm Desert.About ten years
ago, Shaney Jo started coming to the hi-desert to visit a friend,
who owned Rimrock Ranch in Pioneertown.
Rimrock became a place for Shaney Jo to bring her staff for annual
employee retreats: learning about new programs, receiving training
and enjoying some off-site downtime hiking, taking in a sound bath
at the Integratron or having a social
night out together at Pappy & Harriet’s.
After
a number of trips to the hi-desert, spending more and more time
here and meeting the community, Shaney Jo began to realize this was
a special place for her. Having spent nearly 10 years in Los
Angeles, Shaney Jo was ready for a change and recognized moving to
the desert would not only change her surroundings, but would also
be the place to fulfill one of her big dreams: to build a wellness
center for cancer survivors.
Shaney
Jo is the Founder and Global CCO of Keep
A Breast. The organization empowers young
people around the world with breast health education and support
and sparks conversation around prevention, early detection and
self-checks for young women. This includes art and education
programs as well as programs for survivors. In this
episode, Shaney Jo takes us through the formation of
the organization, from it's humble beginnings as a fund-raising art
show, to the international organization it is today, celebrating 20
years of good works (2020).
Last
year, Keep A Breast was part of the annual local Highway 62 Art Tours, breast
casting nearly a dozen local women whose casts were painted by
local hi-desert artists and available for viewing during the third
weekend of the tours.
With
their new headquarters completed and staffed in Yucca Valley,
Shaney Jo is looking to offer the KAB lounge space for a cancer
survivors group to form and is now turning her attention to the
development of the wellness center of her dreams. Actively in the
planning stages on property in the Rimrock area, this achievement
will bring Shaney Jo’s desert journey full circle.
Prior
to founding Keep A Breast, Shaney Jo worked in the apparel industry
- another lifelong dream realized - with designers like Tommy
Hilfiger in NYC, before returning to the west coast to work in the
surf/skate apparel industries – Shaney Jo’s fabric of choice is
denim.
Check
out all the links and, if you're inspired, make a donation to this
worthwhile organization.