Local waxing salon Lay Bare has partnered with the Kasuso Foundation to support Filipino breast cancer patients.

Its latest campaign, "Bare Confidence: Empowering One Another," seeks to both raise funds and awareness in helping women across the country embrace their confidence and health.

In an interview with DAILY TRIBUNE during the sidelines of the event launch, Fiona Hilario, one of the co-founders of Lay Bare, said they were the first to reach out to the Kasuso Foundation because they believe its cause is close to their advocacy: women's empowerment.

"Naka-attend kami ng isang event ni Kasuso Foundation where they had a lot of different partners. So sabi namin, we're very women-centric and we wanted to help dahil obviously yung kanilang donees ay panay babae (We attended an event of Kasuso Foundation where they had a lot of different partners. So we said, we're very women-centric and we wanted to help because obviously their donees are all women)," Hilario said.

"We wanted to be part of that initiative, so we reached out to them actually to create a partnership... Kasuso Foundation is very close to what we're trying to [do]—empower women, and of course, when you're sick with cancer, parang yung empowerment mo hindi na ganoon ka-hundred percent (it seems that your empowerment is not that hundred percent). So we want to help support that cause," she added.

Hilario said one of the problems breast cancer patients face is they can no longer continue with their treatment because of the expense. That's why, with their latest campaign, they are targeting to reach P500,000 within two months.

For every availment of Lay Bare's Brazilian service from 15 November to 15 January 2025, P10 will be donated to Kasuso Foundation.

Meanwhile, for every purchase of Lay Bare's limited tote bag, P50 will be donated to breast cancer patients.

Kasuso Foundation is a non-profit, volunteer-based organization dedicated to serving indigent patients through early detection and patient navigation.

"Breast cancer has been around for years. The Philippines has been fighting a disease and we are winning. But [there's still] a long way to go, and that's why we have to continue the fight and empower as many people as possible," Kasuso Foundation President Malou Cortez said.

"It's not also for women, but also for men," Cortez added.

Breast cancer is the world's most commonly diagnosed cancer, according to the Department of Health.

In the Philippines, breast cancer ranks as the top cancer for both sexes.

There are over 27,000 new cases a year and nearly 10,000 deaths in a year for both sexes. However, when diagnosed and treated early, it is often curable.