By Rebecca Andrews
Staff Writer
Posted April 4, 2008

When you walk into the front room in the house of Tenafly resident Mary Ellen Scherl, you are surrounded by a wall of breasts – 48 of them to be exact. These breasts are the moldings of breast cancer survivors and part of the project that helped Scherl become one of 25 winners of the 2008 Yoplait Champion Awards.

Each year, there’s a nationwide search for individuals who take extraordinary steps in their local communities toward the fight against breast cancer. Scherl, an artist with a BFA from Washington University asked herself, "what if I can help fight breast cancer with my art instead of just depicting it?" And so came the idea of having breast cancer survivors make casts of their breasts to express their emotions and experiences, known today as Mamorial. "I immediately knew it was powerful and it could help with awareness," Scherl said.

There are more than 160 molds waiting to be displayed and a waiting list of survivors wanting to participate in Mamorial but because of a lack of funding, the project has come to a temporary halt. Scherl said she needs a sponsor or organization to help the project grow and hopes that the publicity from her award will create more interest.

Of all 25 winners from 17 states, Scherl and Mamorial were selected to be featured in a commercial that will air nationwide. In addition, Yoplait donates $1,000 to the charity of each champion’s choice, which in Scherl’s case is Mamorial.

While Scherl is honored to be a 2008 Champion, she believes the survivors are actually the champions. "I’m receiving the award but it’s really for everyone that’s joined Mamorial."

She said that runs and walks to support the cause are great but they push aside the issue of what’s really going on. "Mamorial brings us back to the real trauma and by viewing it, we are reminding people to go for mammograms and do self-exams."