BreastFest began in 1999 as a tribute to Tyanna O’Brien, a New Jersey mother who lost her life to breast cancer at the age of forty-eight. Her five daughters carry on her legacy through a commitment to awareness and prevention of the disease.

One out of eight women will get breast cancer in their lifetime. Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in women ages 40-55. Early detection is the key in preventing these deaths and ensuring health and wellness. The first steps of early detection are education and awareness.

BreastFest is a local fundraising initiative developed to increase breast cancer awareness, health and wellness through music and sport. All proceeds benefit the St. Mary's Women's Imaging Center and the Tyanna Barre O’Brien Breast Cancer Foundation. BreastFest invites everyone to Celebrate and Remember—celebrate life, celebrate survivors, and remember those who have died.

The event started in Athens, Georgia after Sara O'Brien read the journal her mother had written while sick with cancer. The following day, she and some friends came together and began a grassroots effort that has grown into a fundraising and awareness initiative hosted in different states up the east coast. Today, BreastFest has been embraced by all the O’Brien sisters and is also held in Baltimore, MD; Clemson, SC; Westmont, NJ; and New York, NY.

Though BreastFest remains a tribute to Tyanna, it has become a dedication to all those who have been affected by the disease.