our story + values
The Butterfly Strong Foundation advocates for early detection and breast cancer prevention, helps fund the innovative research of Dr Susan Love’s lifelong mission to end breast cancer, supports the WeCare Package Program to help preserve the dignity of patients, and provides thousands of trucker hats to breast cancer patients undergoing treatment to give them butterfly strength on their journey to recovery.
Dana Richards (aka Malibu Dana) is a philanthropist, patient advocate, butterfly, and founder of The Butterfly Strong Foundation. A TV producer for two decades, her greatest mission came after a devastating breast cancer diagnosis at 35. The disease took her on a journey to an unspeakably dark place, but she turned that pain into purpose and fought her way back to the light. She has now been cancer free for 14 years and wakes up every morning incredibly grateful for her life.
This chapter in her life charted a path to giving back, and to a deep commitment to helping other breast cancer patients and advocating for early detection. In 2017, she launched Malibu Dana Activewear to help breast cancer patients by donating a portion of proceeds from every purchase to various charities, and to working closely with the breast cancer community as a volunteer, donor, ambassador, committee member, & advisory board member.
Dana has collaborated for the past decade with The Breast Cancer Fundraiser as a volunteer and advisory board member. To date, she has donated thousands of Butterfly Strong trucker hats to WeCare Packages that have gone directly to breast cancer patients in need, with a commitment to servicing the “whole woman” in need of useful items that are often overlooked but essential during breast cancer treatment and recovery. Dana remains equally committed to the groundbreaking work of the Dr Susan Love Fund & continuing the late Dr. Love’s legacy with the Tower Cancer Research Foundation in their efforts in the fight to end cancer.
meet our founder
After the sudden loss of their Malibu home in the 2018 Woolsey Fires, Dana and her husband Christos, relocated to Hermosa Beach where she has become an active community leader, volunteer, and member of the South Bay community through the work of numerous South Bay charities. She has served as an advisory board member for Walk With Sally which provides impactful mentorship programs for the families and children of those with cancer, and she currently serves an ambassador and “Friend” of Mychal’s Learning Place which provides support, training, and opportunities to young adults with developmental disabilities to build their independence and pursue their dreams.
Dana is a member of the Hermosa Beach Chamber of Commerce and has been at the helm of dozens of breast cancer fundraisers and events over the past decade - Malibu Dana Activewear pop ups, fundraisers, yoga events, and fashion shows. In 2022, she spearheaded the Slay for Love luncheon with the generous Chef David Slay and his wife Gale to support innovative breast cancer research. Dana’s work to promote awareness resulted in Hermosa Beach lighting its pier pink during the month of October, and the last two years she was presented with the Proclamation of Pink and Breast Cancer Awareness Month by the Mayor and City Council of Hermosa Beach.
Grateful to work with such worthy causes, Dana’s message is one of care and awareness, and to raising consciousness that we can all make a difference. She has come to understand that the obstacles in life become gifts once you realize that the comeback has the potential to be stronger than the setback and hopes this might continue inspiring others to make a difference.
Our hope is that the Butterfly Strong movement will help create the tidal wave of change you want to see in the world! You can help influence the future of this disease in profound and unforeseeable ways.
Join our community and live butterfly strong!
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The butterfly effect says the flap of one butterfly’s delicate wing can cause a hurricane half way around the world. Together we can create indelible ripples to generate powerful forces to change this world for the better.
butterfly strong
adjective
our mission
Imagine a world without breast cancer..but until we find a cure, help us advocate for early detection, create a world where no breast cancer patient feels alone, and fight for an end to this disease