Think Pink! social raises funds for breast cancer research

Keegan Calligar

October 24, 2008

 

ELON – The Eta Zeta chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha held a successful Think Pink! social at Elon University on Oct. 15, raising both awareness of breast cancer and money toward breast cancer research.

The event featured a Yoplait yogurt-eating contest, desserts and live music by the band Three Day Weekend. As in previous years, nurses from Alamance Regional Medical Center were available to distribute information about breast cancer and answer any questions attendees had.

Allison Stanley, a breast cancer survivor who was featured on the NBC reality show “Starting Over,” gave a speech and highlighted the importance of self-breast exams and spreading awareness.

Zeta Tau Alpha’s national philanthropy is breast cancer education and awareness, and the organization works year round to raise money and support for the cause. The group serves as host for a Think Pink! social every October, during breast cancer awareness month.

Members of Elon University's greek life participate in a yogurt eating contest to benefit breast cancer at Zeta Tau Alpha's annual Think Pink! social.

Kaitlan Spedden, a senior at Elon and the chapter’s president, was pleased with this year’s turnout. She credited the yogurt-eating contest, co-sponsored by Kappa Sigma Fraternity, for attracting men to the event.

“We had a really successful event this year, even more so than last year because we got the men involved,” she said.

Breast cancer is a highly common disease in America. According to Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s Web site, “(Approximately) 182,460 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in American women in 2008 alone,” and one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in her life.

Spedden recognized the importance of spreading awareness about the disease. “Because the best defense we have against breast cancer is early detection, it’s so important to spread awareness,” she said.

Maggie Cooper, a senior and the chapter’s vice president, said that breast cancer awareness month is a vital to eradicating the disease, but thinks that people must pay attention to the disease when the month ends.

“It’s such a big issue, only one month dedicated to it isn’t enough,” she said. “But it certainly helps raise awareness.”
Scott O’Sullivan, a junior and member of Sigma Chi Fraternity, attended the social to show support for both Zeta Tau Alpha, the philanthropy and his fraternity brother.

“I think it’s important to raise awareness for the women in my life,” he said. “My pledge brother’s mom was diagnosed (with breast cancer), so I like to support my pledge brothers.”

Zeta Tau Alpha chose the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation as its national philanthropy in 1992. It subsequently expanded to include other educational and awareness initiatives, including the NFL, Yoplait and Courage Night, thus adopting breast cancer education and awareness. Think Pink! is a registered trademark of Zeta Tau Alpha’s international office.

 

Published in the Burlington Times-News