TAMPA, Fla. — October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and a Tampa bakery decided to directly help out one young woman battling cancer. Bake'n Babes is donating money through the sale of their popular milkshakes.
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"I know it's not something a bakery would normally talk about," said Julie Curry with Bake'n Babes.
The bakery tucked into the Hall on Franklin is a getting a bit more visibility since they made a "Freak Shake" in honor of Lizzo coming to Tampa. The superstar came to taste the milkshake in September.
Now that all eyes are on them, Bake'n Babes are switching gears for a little.
"We decided to use this platform since we have everyone's attention," said Curry.
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After brainstorming for October’s Freak Shake, Curry decided she could not only raise awareness, but truly help someone in need.
"This year's been really hard," Victoria Burnham said.
Burnham used to be an avid traveler until doctors diagnosed her with stage 2 breast cancer. She is fighting the disease and working when she can. Sadly, breast cancer is all too familiar to the 25-year-old.
"All my family has it. My mother had it, my sister had it, my 2 aunts," said Burnham.
Her mother died when she was 8 years old. She is been managing the disease with the help of her aunt and now customers of Bake’n Babes.
"It makes me feel not alone," Burnham said.
Curry says Bake'n Babes sells about 200 Freak Shakes a month. They are hoping the survivor stories shared on Instagram get people to support the cause.
The community is really rallying behind it and that's all I want to focus on," Curry said.
"It's made me stronger as a person I can do things by myself when I thought that I couldn't," said Burnham.
Bake'n Babes is selling the "Think Pink" Freak Shakes through Sunday, October 13. All proceeds will go straight to Burnham. There is also a Mighty Cause fundraiser if you'd like to donate to her but can't get to the bakery.
Burnham tells us she will be done with chemotherapy at the end of October. She is planning to undergo a double mastectomy in December.
