Shoes for a Cure Raises $600K for Breast Cancer Research

The industry came together in full force last week for the reimagined Shoes for a Cure charity shoe sale, and the effort raised $600,000 for breast cancer research.

From the kickoff party at Nordstrom NYC to the five-day shopping event, hundreds of volunteers from across the industry united to drive awareness and fundraising. More than 50 brands and retailers participated through product or monetary donations.

“It was a resounding success in so many ways,” said Sandi Mines, president of The Fashion Footwear Charitable Foundation (FFCF). “We knew when we started our journey that 2023 would be a rebuilding and transformational year.”

FFCF rebooted the initiative, previously known as Shoes on Sale, as part of its longtime philanthropic commitment. All told, the industry has raised more than $60 million for the cause during the past three decades.

Mines said that FFCF’s revitalized board of directors, a new approach to selling shoes and dedicated partners added up to a memorable event. “This type of success, built on generosity from the industry and consumers alike, will propel us towards an even bigger and better Shoes for a Cure event in 2024 and beyond,” she said.

This year, Shoes for a Cure partnered with Dr. Lisa Newman, internationally renowned breast surgeon and researcher, to support and fund her life-changing first-step breast cancer research.

Newman and dozens of her colleagues from Weill Cornell attended the Nordstrom kickoff event, where she opened up about her research, which has focused on the genetic causes of triple negative breast cancer.

“This biologically aggressive form of the disease contributes substantially to the 40 percent higher breast cancer mortality rates that we see in African American compared to white American women,” Newman said.

The physician also has a deeply personal connection — her beloved sister died from an aggressive form of the disease.