By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times
Community leaders, breast cancer survivors and advocates gathered inside the Jefferson County Courthouse Wednesday morning to unveil a mural during Breast Cancer Awareness Month that spotlights the journey of healing, restoration, and hope.
The Jefferson County Commission, partnered with VIRTUE, Inc., a local non-profit organization that focuses on issues like women’s health, leadership, and community empowerment, to feature a “Women on the Journey” mural in the downtown Courthouse.
The painting depicts vibrant images that represent the diverse experiences of women facing breast cancer and captures the emotional and physical challenges of their journey. Each figure in the mural stands as a testament to perseverance and support that can be found within the community.
“When I first viewed this masterpiece, I immediately felt each expression. I traveled down my own memory lane,” said Brenda Hong, a breast cancer survivor and founder of Brenda’s Brown Bosom Buddies (BBBB), a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to supporting individuals with breast cancer, as well as providing education and promoting early detection of breast cancer in minority, low-income, and underserved communities.
Jefferson County Commissioner Sheila Tyson said the mural brings awareness to those “that are often overlooked when it comes to the illness that attack women.”
VIRTUE, Inc.’s founder, Deidra “Lady Dee” Green, said her organization’s mission is to foster holistic well-being and restoration. The group also wants to keep a promise to an administrative assistant who worked for her husband [Pastor Steve Green of More Than Conquerors Faith Church].
Her name was Robin, and she was newly married with kids when she was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of breast cancer. “We, [her church family], made a promise to her that we would do what we can to raise awareness of this disease, [even though she lost her battle with it], and promote early intervention as it relates to breast cancer. And that’s what we’ve been doing,” Lady Dee has said.
VIRTUE, or Vessels Imparting and Restoring Temples to Uncontestable Excellence, was founded in 2005, just before Robin’s diagnosis.
“We made a promise to Robin that we would continue to lift up early detection, being aware of the importance of knowing your numbers, your family history, and having you testing done,” said “Lady Dee” Green. “And we’ve done just that … out of prayer, the Lord spoke to me about creating a mural because we wanted to touch more people, expand our reach, and what was birthed out of that was ‘Women on a Journey.’”
The mural was painted by Jamie Bonfiglio, who is known for her expressive style, and commitment to creating murals that celebrate African Americans.
The unveiling drew attention to the ongoing need for breast cancer awareness, early detection, and support for survivors, like Marie A. Sutton, Public Information Officer for the City of Birmingham. The painting represents, “a monument of a journey hard fought, and for me, a journey won,” Sutton said.
For more information about Breast Cancer Awareness Month events and the “Women on the Journey” mural, visit the Jefferson County Courthouse or VIRTUE, or Vessels Imparting and Restoring Temples to Uncontestable Excellence for resources and support.
