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The Sigma Alpha sorority took home the gold - the gold bra, that is.

As part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, nine sororities and fraternities in the Inter Greek Council took part in "Bra! Bra! Bra! Unite to Fight!," a bra-decorating contest held Thursday. The event was sponsored by Southern Illinois Healthcare and the SIUC Pan-Hellenic Council, and was held to promote awareness of breast cancer in young women.

Using bras to promote awareness is part of a national campaign that will run on Lifetime throughout the month.

"A bra is someone who provides strength and support," said Jennifer Badiu, the director of Cancer Care Services and The Breast Center at Southern Illinois Healthcare. "It's slang for friend."

The decorated bras will be displayed throughout the community throughout October.

Badiu said she hopes this event will bring more collaboration between Southern Illinois Healthcare and the university.

"We want to open the communication between Southern Illinois Healthcare and SIUC," Badiu said. "If we band together, we can have a stronger, healthier community."

Ashley Hatfield, this year's Miss Illinois and keynote speaker at the event, said breast cancer is something everyone should be aware of.

"Now, more and more, we're hearing about younger women with breast cancer," said Hatfield, who was also a judge for the contest.

Hatfield, a 24-year-old Anna native, has made breast cancer awareness her platform for the 2007 Miss Illinois pageant.

"People told me to choose something you're passionate about," Hatfield said. "Breast cancer was the first thing that came to mind."

The participating Greek organizations received one bra to decorate for their sorority or fraternity to make a statement against breast cancer. Each participant presented a bra and gave a short speech on the meaning behind it and how breast cancer has touched his or her life. According to the American Cancer Society, one in eight women will develop breast cancer.

"At some point in your life, you will probably encounter breast cancer," Hatfield said.

Badiu said decorating bras seemed like a fun idea to get young people involved; however, she said, many young people overlook breast cancer until they get older.

"Most women think you have to be 40 or 50 years old to get tested for breast cancer, and that's not true," Badiu said. "They're bringing this awareness to their own level, and it makes it real to them."

Jessica Pyritz, a senior from Normal studying agribusiness economics and the president of the Sigma Alpha sorority, could barely get through her presentation without tears. She spoke of her relationship with the adviser to Sigma Alpha, Susan Dallas, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2006.

Unlike Sigma Alpha, Tau Kappa Epsilon, one of the three fraternities that participated, chose to approach the idea from a lighter perspective, premiering their motto, "Be the breast you can be." TKE would go on to win the bronze bra, which was awarded to the third best-decorated bra.

The Delta Phi Mu sorority took the silver bra. Presenter Dayla Abernathy, a senior from Chicago studying social work and English, spoke of the unique stories that each survivor had to tell.

"We believe that you should celebrate who you are as a woman," Abernathy said.

Madeleine Leroux can be reached at 536-3311 ext. 254 or mleroux@siu.edu.

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