Sharon Blynne: Bald is Beautiful

Check out this interview with Sharon Blynne -- just as good and inspiring today as it was three years ago.

Sometimes I go for the "oldies but goodies" because women like Sharon represent a "real woman on health". Her fresh view point and beautiful way opens up a new perspective you might really appreciate.

First, view her commercial reel, with the Bristol Myers Squibb "Prevail" commercial, and her beautifully sweet plug for the advocacy group she founded -- “Bald is Beautiful”.

“I started Bald Is Beautiful in 2003 after what, at the time, I hoped was my final surgery.

I was inspired by my cancer journey and the people I met along the way/throughout to start Bald Is Beautiful, which is a women’s wholeness/cancer awareness organization through which I do spokesperson/advocacy work and as an actor/writer am dedicated to activating the media industry to expand and redefine notions of beauty and femininity -- especially for those women whose appearances may drastically change as part of a health journey, and promoting the idea that our femininity is undiminished by the effects of cancer.

As such (an actor and cancer survivor), I auditioned for the BMS commercial last summer and booked the job based on what they found interesting or inspiring about my particular journey and what I told them about my Bald Is Beautiful work in the initial audition interview. The words in those spots are derived from that initial interview which was the basis on which they created my specific commercial copy.

What is so beautiful about the spots is that we (the actor/survivors) are not “pitching” for BMS. We never had to say Bristol-Myers Squibb or name the drugs that were part of our treatment regimen. They (BMS) made the bold and beautiful decision to create very simple, powerful, touching, inspiring vignettes from real survivors that stand alone as messages of hope, positivity, support, and encouragement.

That’s why I was so excited to be considered and ultimately participate in this campaign; because it’s not a pharmaceutical pitching more drugs and making people feel bad about themselves or that their lives are incomplete without their products. It’s the opposite and very much in tune with my Bald Is Beautiful work to support, encourage, and share joy with others. I had the opportunity, as did all of us in the 4 spots, to express our personal journeys in ways that, as far as I’ve seen on TV, hadn’t really been done.

They don’t focus on illness or medicine or treatment – the commercials are really made to speak to people’s hearts and spirits and to uplift them.”

Read more on the Bristol Myers Web Site to learn more about Sharon.