Raising money to support the Canadian Cancer Society is a meaningful mission for one Red Deer tattoo studio owner.
Dylan Brown, owner of Bad and Bougie Studio in the city's downtown, teamed up with the Canadian Cancer Society's CIBC Run for the Cure for the flash tattoo fundraiser Ink For the Cure this weekend.
For $50, Central Albertans could walk into the studio on Saturday or Sunday and get one of a select number of tattoos, with half of the proceeds going towards the CIBC Run for the Cure, which will take place at Bower Ponds in Red Deer on Sunday, Oct. 6. All proceeds from the run will go to the Canadian Cancer Society in the fight against breast cancer.
"My mom battled cancer a few times," Brown said.
"Cancer is so abrupt. It's such an abrupt disease. It attacks families in so many ways — it can affect children or the elderly. It's emotional when you consider the attachment people will have with their loved ones. To be able to create memories for people through tattoos, it's one of the best things I could dream of doing."
Brown has been a tattoo artist for 17 years. Twelve years ago, he owned a studio in the city's downtown called Art and Soul Tattoo. He ended up selling that business and moving away. He returned to Red Deer and learned the space his old studio was located was vacant.
"I called the building owner about the space and she said I could have it. Now here I am again — full circle. It's pretty cool," said Brown, who officially opened Bad and Bougie Studio this past December.
"I've always been into art. I drew in class when I was in school and was told I was never going to go anywhere (as an artist). Me getting to this point is a slap in the face to all of the people who said I'd never make it. It's a cool feeling. I've got my 15-year-old daughter following in my footsteps too."
Canadian Cancer Society's CIBC Run for the Cure is the country's largest single-day, volunteer-led event in support of the breast cancer cause. Red Deer will be one of several communities across Canada participating in the event on Oct. 6. Money raised will fund breast cancer research, offer support services to help people better manage life with breast cancer, shape healthy public policies to prevent cancer and support those living with the disease, and offer trusted breast cancer information for all Canadians.
For more information on the run, visit cancer.ca.
Bad and Bougie Studio can be found on Facebook and Instagram.
