Keep A Breast Foundation Marks 25-Year Partnership with Vans Warped Tour, Revolutionizing Youth Health Education

The Keep A Breast Foundation concluded its 25th anniversary celebrations during the final weekend of Vans Warped Tour in Orlando, marking a significant milestone for both organizations. This partnership, which began in 1998, has transformed how breast health education reaches young audiences through music and community engagement, creating a model for effective nonprofit integration into cultural events.

KAB Founder Shaney jo Darden emphasized the tour's profound impact on the organization's identity. Vans Warped Tour holds a special place in KAB's story. It shaped who we are as an organization and how we show up in the world—bold, fun, and uniquely ourselves when it comes to breast health education. The partnership has allowed KAB to maintain its signature approach of meeting people where they are, using music as a vehicle for important health conversations.

Vans Warped Tour Founder Kevin Lyman highlighted the philosophy behind integrating nonprofit organizations into the festival experience. My brand has always been three words: music, philanthropy, and education. He described the approach as osmosis rather than preaching, where organizations like Keep A Breast become woven into the fabric of the festival rather than operating as separate educational entities. This method has proven effective in engaging attendees naturally while they enjoy the music and community atmosphere.

At the Orlando event, KAB offered interactive educational experiences and distributed resources on breast self-examination and early detection. Festival attendees could access KAB's self breast-exam app and learn about comprehensive breast health education programs that have evolved from the organization's early i love boobies! awareness campaign. The organization's presence included opportunities to win a custom i love boobies! electric guitar from Schecter Guitar Research and purchase limited edition 25th anniversary commemorative apparel and accessories designed by contemporary artist and activist Shepard Fairey, with proceeds directly funding KAB's programming through their official website at https://keep-a-breast.org.

Lyman quantified the impact of their collaborative approach, noting that if just 10% of the 40,000 attendees engaged differently with the educational opportunities—whether by signing up for KAB's app, asking questions, or participating in other activities—that would represent 4,000 people returning to their communities with new perspectives on health education. This demonstrates the scalable impact of integrating social good initiatives into cultural events like music festivals.

The organization continues to focus on reaching people through unconventional methods that combine art, music, education, and what they describe as a punk-rock ethos. As both organizations look toward future collaborations, KAB plans to evolve and expand its programs supporting the breast cancer community and young people worldwide with essential education and resources, building on the foundation established through their long-standing partnership with Vans Warped Tour.