FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Katy Gertz
T: 920-857-9069 | F: 920-857-9490
katyge@seura.com | www.seura.com
Séura unveils Project Breathe:
a new initiative to fight Lung Cancer
Green Bay, Wis. (September 5, 2012) — Séura is proud to announce the launch of Project Breathe, a
new initiative designed to combat Lung Cancer. Inspired by the courageous battle fought by Bertha Cavil,
a pillar of support in Séura’s history, Project Breathe is designed to raise awareness, dispel myths, and
generate funds for Lung Cancer research.
Bertha’s Story
Séura was founded by Tim and Gretchen Gilbertson in
2003. As with any successful start-up, Tim and Gretchen
took an “all-hands-on-deck” approach to growing their
young business. Gretchen’s mother, Bertha Cavil, was
instrumental in many aspects of the company, especially
during the important early years.
In March of 2011, at the age of 58, Bertha was diagnosed
with stage-four Lung Cancer. Having never smoked a day
in her life, Bertha’s prognosis of one year left the family
searching for answers. During the following months,
Bertha met with the nation’s best oncologists, including a
visit to Harvard. Unfortunately, opinions were inconsistent
as treatment options and medical understanding of Lung
Cancer lags far behind other types of cancer.
Sadly, Bertha passed away in July 2011, a mere 3 months after her diagnosis. While she embraced her
fate with the grace and elegance that was her character, Bertha’s family and the Séura team hope to
raise funds and awareness so that other families needn’t experience the same sudden loss to this
surprisingly fatal disease.
Myths About Lung Cancer
Anyone can get Lung Cancer. There is an unfair stigma around the illness: many believe that those with
Lung Cancer somehow “deserve it” or have “brought it upon themselves” through tobacco use. According
to the American Cancer Society, nearly 80% of new Lung Cancer patients have either never smoked or
have quit decades ago.
Today, Lung Cancer is the number one cancer killer for both men and women. Research is vastly
underfunded; much of allocated money is used on anti-smoking campaigns, not research. For every 14
dollars spent on Breast Cancer research, only one dollar is spent on Lung Cancer research. Due to a lack
of research and few treatment options, the survival rate of Lung Cancer is only 15.5% — the same as it
was in 1971. The majority of Lung Cancer patients are diagnosed so late that they die within a year of
diagnosis.
How Project Breathe Works
Project Breathe is the umbrella under which Séura
and partner manufacturers aim to combat Lung
Cancer.
Project Breathe has two goals:
1) Raise Lung Cancer awareness. Lung
Cancer takes more lives, non-smokers and
smokers alike, than any other cancer. If
more people can understand that ANYONE CAN GET LUNG CANCER, the disease can be more
proactively screened and detected at early stages.
2) Raise funds for medical research. Séura is committed to finding new treatments and preventive
measures for the Lung Cancer. By designating a selection of Limited Edition products to Project
Breathe, Séura will donate a portion of the proceeds to the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer
Foundation.
Designed by Séura, the Project Breathe logo is a lower case “b” that stands both for “Breathe” and
“Bertha”. Feminine and stylized, the shape resembles the profile of the butterfly, emulating Bertha’s
memory.
Project Breathe Storm™
Specifically for CEDIA EXPO 2012, Séura
pulled out all the stops to create a one-of-akind limited edition 55” Storm ™ Outdoor
Television for the launch of Project Breathe
that will be available for auction at CEDIA.
Bridging fine art and technology, Séura
created a piece that would both pay tribute
to Bertha and generate significant funds to
kick-start Project Breathe’s fund-raising
efforts.
This special Project Breathe Storm ™ boasts
an ultra-high-end white finish. “The color of Lung Cancer awareness is white,” said Gretchen, “It was
important that we pay tribute to the initiative while carefully selecting the perfect materials to make the
television special.”
Gretchen personally worked with a local metal artist to
create an original accent for the television. The sterling silver
piece is hand-cut with the Project Breathe logo and accented
with a 1 carat cubic zirconia. The stone was donated by
Green Bay’s Rummele’s Jewelers, Bertha’s favorite jewelry
store and early employer.
“We turned to the experts at Leon to develop a highperformance speaker,” said Gretchen, “They understood our
vision for this project and eagerly created an outdoor sound
bar that elevates the product to a new level of luxury.”
This special limited edition Project Breathe Storm ™ is available for auction at Séura’s booth at CEDIA
EXPO 2012. 100% of the sale of the product will benefit the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation.
Limited Edition white Storm™ outdoor televisions and 300LS Audio™ Speakers for Storm ™ will be
available for purchase after CEDIA Expo 2012. A portion of the proceeds from each sale will be benefit
Lung Cancer research.
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About Séura
Séura is an award-winning manufacturer of Television Mirrors, Waterproof Televisions, Outdoor Televisions, and Lighted Mirrors.
Founded in 2003, Séura engineers and manufactures every product in the headquarters facility located in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Innovative, Green-conscious, and woman-owned, Séura continues to drive its products to new and unexplored territory. For more
information about Séura, please call toll-free (800) 957-3872 or visit www.seura.com.
About the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation (BJALCF)
BJALCF is the patient-founded, patient-focused voice relentlessly working to increase the survival of Lung Cancer worldwide
through early detection, awareness, and funding for research. BJALCF was established in 2006 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit
organization and has raised more than six million dollars for Lung Cancer Research. www.lungcancerfoundation.org