In the past few weeks, breast cancer awareness has been spreading around UTM campus through events such as Pink Out days and Think Pink activities, all put together by Zeta Tau Alpha.
“In September, we held a Think Pink Think Zeta week where we passed out pink ribbons and promoted awareness at our Kiss Away Cancer Event at a home football game. During October, we’ve collected Yoplait yogurt lids in our collection bins on campus and we held our Yoplait Yogurt Eating Competition last week. This month, we have also passed out more pink ribbons for students, faculty and administrators to wear to show their support,” said ZTA traveling leadership consultants Casey Plastek and Jessica Patterson.
ZTA has not only been showing their support this semester, but they have been fighting for breast cancer awareness since 1992.
“Zeta Tau Alpha has been an advocate of and partner in breast cancer education and research since 1992. At that time, ZTA began an association with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation (now Susan G. Komen for the Cure) as its national philanthropy and began to sponsor the Survivor Recognition Program at the Race for the Cure. That sponsorship has continued for 19 years and ZTA is a member of the Komen Million Dollar Circle,” Plastek and Patterson said.
In order to fully become involved with breast cancer awareness, ZTA has partnered with several companies and organizations, such as the National Football League with its Crucial Catch Campaign, holding 26 Think Pink events at NFL stadiums in October; Yoplait in its Save Lids to Save Lives Campaign; and SELF magazine and Lifetime television.
ZTA not only has worked with breast cancer awareness organizations and companies, but has strived to bring about awareness in universities.
“Since 1992, ZTA has broadened its focus to encompass not only the Komen Foundation, but also other educational means dedicated to fighting breast cancer through education, awareness and promoting breast health,” Plastek and Patterson said.
According to ZTA, breast cancer awareness is the key to prevention.
“One in every eight women will battle breast cancer in her lifetime. Early detection is the key to battling this disease and it is vital to spread that message to as many women and men as possible. Breast cancer knows no age limit, so ZTA members from college age to their 90s participate in the efforts to advocate early detection and breast health on their campuses and in their communities,” Plastek and Patterson said.
Plastek also said that the breast cancer awareness movement not only affects breast cancer victims, but ZTA as an organization.
“Zeta Tau Alpha’s involvement with breast cancer education has provided an outlet for our members to live The Creed of our Fraternity, by thinking in terms of all mankind and our service to the world and to be true to those within and without our circle,” Plastek and Patterson said.
For more information on ZTA’s breast cancer awareness movement, visit www.zetataualpha.org/foundation.
