What an amazing Cinco de Mayo Weekend Health Expo and Breast Cancer Mermaid™ Art Project Exhibition we had. I want to thank all our vendors and artists for helping provide education, services, and goods to our community. I also want to thank all our attendees who came from not only Hernando County but Citrus, Pasco, and Hillsboro Counties as well. We had so many wonderful venders and artists attend who shared valuable information and fabulous goods on this mild sunny day. We’re still putting together pictures taken by our professional photographer, Paula Joy Synder, thus, please visit our website often to see more photos taken throughout the day.  
I want to give a shout out to all our Artists for their amazing art submissions. When I thought of the concept for the Breast Cancer Mermaid™, I didn’t realize how many talented artists would join me nor the numerous ways in which they would portray the various phases of this disease. 
Those that attended the event got a chance to witness the crowning of our First Place Winner, Joan “Johan” Casadiego. That amazing crown on his head was hand-made by Iona Parris, The Seashell Queen who took time out of her own Mermaid Camping Event this weekend to bring the prizes for the winners to us in Brooksville. Additionally, Iona Parris created Seashell Necklaces for all our winners as their trophy. 
I want to acknowledge Agastya L. Roy who was our youngest artist at only 14 years old, followed by Kaytriel Daglia who’s 17-years old. Agastya was the first artist to submit a painting of a merman. His painting states the most important comment of all when dealing with breast cancer, “Early Detection Saves Lives.” Chris Gallo shared his version of a merman, denoting his 12-years of living with breast cancer. 
Breast Cancer Mermaid™ Art Project Winners1st Place: Joan “Johan” Casadiego2nd Place: Jordan Tygrett 3rd Place: Anne DoyleHonorary Mentions: Manjit Vohra and Agastya L. Roy
For those vendors who didn’t get a chance to explore the area and walk around, here are two things that stood out for me. One was Manjit Vohra’s art drawing which she completed during the Health Expo while our LIVE MERMAID, MerLady Jazz, posed for her. Manjit’s traveling art kit reminds me of the great painters like Georgia O’Keefe who’d take her traveling art kit everywhere she went and draw amazing pictures throughout the day. What a talent to have! Plus, I’m honored to share that our Live Mermaid, Jasmine Cora debuted her first Coloring Book during our Health Expo. Jasmine also submitted a fabulous piece for the Breast Cancer Mermaid™ Art Project. 
We had incredible vendors and artists showing off their goods and services throughout the day. Our youngest vendor was Lizzy Rooding with Liz’s Creations at only 12-years old. She sold various crafts and kid friendly goods while dad, Theo Rooding, played some hauntingly beautiful guitar melodies he composed himself on our stage.  
Our Medical Partners were on-hand offering services such as: 3D Mobile Mammograms was sponsored by the Florida State Department of Health; USF Nursing School MoBull Van provided cervical cancer screening through a grant from SWFCCC—Southwest Florida Cancer Control Collaborative; Sarasota Prostate Initiative provided men with prostate cancer screening; Blood One reminded us that you could save three lives for every blood donation you made; and Pine Brooks Pharmacy of Spring Hill provided various vaccinations, including Covid-19, Shingles, Pneumonia, and Tetanus.   
A special shout out to our volunteers who worked tirelessly to ensure everyone had what they needed, and the event ran smoothly. Pat Colbert took care of our Cancer Tamer booth and provided information about our Breast Cancer Mermaid™ Art Project Books and Greeting Cards. Amy Amdahl of Peddler’s Post and Jordan Tygrett took care of our Stage area and Emcee’d the event. They kept the music and fun going, ushering in our performers and entertaining you. And of course, a big hug and major appreciation goes to my assistant Emma Garrett who ran errands and kept things moving. Plus, her mom, Becky Garrett volunteered to ensure the park was kept clean and lovely for our attendees throughout the day.  
We also want to take a moment to acknowledge the following individuals and companies who helped support Cancer Tamer Foundation by obtaining donations and giving their time and services to help raise funds for Cancer Tamer enabling us to continue empowering women with breast cancer. Among these were Catherine Crippen who provided shell art opportunities for event goers to paint their own seashells; MerLady Jazz – Jasmine Cora our resident Live Mermaid. Autumn from Traveling Art Parties. And Diane Greenwell, who hosted a donation event a few miles down the road on the other side of town as part of the Hernando Beach Front Porch Art Walk. 
The Cinco de Mayo Weekend Health Expo and Breast Cancer Mermaid™ Art Project were made possible, in part, by sponsorships from: Tobacco Free Florida, Palm Medical Center, and Amur Health Advisors, Passionate Woman, City of Brooksville, and Peddler’s Post. As well as, Mertailor’s Mermaid Aquatic Encounters, POM Float, and Iona Parris, the Seashell Queen who donated prizes for our artists.  
I huge thank you to Geraldo Perales and his wife Marisol from Taco’Clock, our Food Vendor, who kept us fed with their scrumptiously delicious Mexican fare and came all the way from Floral City to join us. 
Many thanks to our photographer, Paula Joy Synder who memorialized our event through her fabulous lens, taking photos throughout the day. And to all of you who participated and supported Cancer Tamer Foundation’s mission to empower women with breast cancer, a million thanks and big hugs for making this truly a day to remember! 
Live with ROARING passion, Dr. Charley Ferrer CEO & Foundation Cancer Tamer Foundation