First-time mom Eva Longoria is busy. The 43-year-old recently strutted the Seine with L’Oréal for Paris Fashion Week, an experience that marked the brand ambassador’s runway debut and one she describes as making her a “little nervous.” Next on the agenda, a continuing partnership with Novartis’ Kiss This 4 MBC, a campaign aimed at raising funds for metastatic breast cancer research (for each social media post that uses the hashtag #KissThis4MBC, Novartis will donate $15 to metastatic breast cancer research). We recently caught up with Longoria to hear why the cause hits close to home and what it was really like to rock the catwalk as a rookie.
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Why the foundation is so important to me: Breast cancer has always been a cause that is personal to me. My sister had breast cancer, and while, thankfully, she is in remission today, I know the statistics and there is a risk that it could come back and become metastatic. Since teaming up with Novartis on Kiss This 4 MBC, I’ve met some of the amazing people living with metastatic breast cancer and heard their stories firsthand. Stories of being diagnosed during pregnancy, stories of a husband’s denial that his wife’s disease is incurable, stories of careers that had to be put on hold, and stories of hoping to live long enough to see children graduate high school. As a new mom [baby boy Santiago made his appearance in June], I can’t imagine navigating life’s moments like starting your career, getting married or raising young children while treating a complex disease for which there is no cure.
I know our work isn’t done, and I’m proud to continue supporting this initiative to drive change and raise money for this community that so urgently needs to be supported, recognized and heard, which is why I hope this year people will join me in posting a Boomerang or selfie telling us why you #KissThis4MBC and nominate or “tag” others to give the metastatic breast cancer community the support it needs.
How the disease continues to surprise me: In my conversations with women living with this disease, they’ve shared that they too often feel others don’t understand what they’re facing. Many of them say it’s difficult for others to grasp that their disease is incurable, and some even get comments from friends and family that they “don’t look sick.” And there’s research to back up what they’re feeling—in fact, nearly two-thirds of Americans (65 percent) are unaware that there is currently no cure for metastatic breast cancer. This community is fighting like hell for more research to extend the lives of people diagnosed with this disease. We should all do what we can to support them.
What I enjoyed most about Paris Fashion Week: I had soooo much fun walking the runway on the Seine river in Paris. It was an iconic moment to be a part of with L’Oréal and to be able to include the fans was the best part! It was my first time walking the runway for ANY fashion week, so I was a little nervous, but I pulled through! It is definitely a different field for me. Those models have it down! I was just excited to be part of this show presented by L’Oréal, because it showed the intersection of fashion with hair and makeup.
My beauty secrets from the show: Being around all those models and standing at 5’2”, the only thing you can do is walk with confidence. I strutted my stuff down that runway as if I was 6 feet tall! The other beauty tip is to use false lashes, because the runway was so far away from the audience, that you needed a little pop on the eyes to stand out.
How life has changed the most post-baby: It’s made me even more motivated to make the world a better place for him to grow up in. For example, when it comes to metastatic breast cancer, I’ve met people living with this disease who also have young children and worry about who will take care of their children when they’re gone. I’m experiencing firsthand how challenging it can be to balance being a new mom while also juggling work and all of the other things that life brings. I can’t imagine also facing a life-threatening disease like metastatic breast cancer. For me, it reiterates why it’s so important that we continue to support people living with metastatic breast cancer.
