Young women of campus sorority Zeta Tau Alpha are busy this October handing out fliers and pink ribbons in support of their main philanthropy, breast cancer awareness.
Zeta Vice President Sara Exner said it is critical for female students to be aware of breast cancer because of increasing risk.
“One in eight women will be diagnosed at some point in their lifetime,” Exner said. “The age is getting younger and younger every day.”
Brigette Brunken, who is in charge of Zeta’s public relations, said the sorority focuses on doing as much as possible throughout October to raise awareness around campus. October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
“Every Wednesday we have table-sits in the patio area between West and East Laville,” Brunken said. “We try to answer questions and inform girls about early detection. During the week of October 20 we will table-sit every day.”
Zeta’s motto for this month, “Think Pink,” can be seen around campus in the forms of ribbons, shirts and fliers. Pink is the color of breast cancer awareness nationwide and is used to boost awareness among the public.
Informing the general public about breast cancer is a year-long goal of the American Cancer Society, but during October, it too does a little extra. Last weekend it hosted a breast cancer awareness ceremony honoring survivors and unveiling the 2003 “Beauty of Early Detection … Pass it On” poster.
Tisha McKinney, communications and marketing specialist of the American Cancer Society, said students should be aware of the benefit of early detection.
“It is important to implement a healthy lifestyle behavior even though the odds are lower for young women,” McKinney said. “Cancer does not discriminate against age or race.”
According to the American Cancer Society, next to skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer found among American women.
The society advocates early detection and a healthy lifestyle as main preventative measures in the fight against breast cancer.
The American Cancer society labels a breast cancer lifestyle risk factor as anything that increases your chance of getting a disease.
Lifestyle risk factors include not having children, using oral contraceptives, hormone replacement therapy, breast feeding, alcohol consumption, high-fat diets and environmental pollution.