A fashion show in Gallagher Theater Monday night raised $1,461.61 for breast cancer research and education.
The Wildcat Events Board hosted the ThinkPink fashion show to promote breast cancer awareness and raise money for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure breast cancer foundation. Comedian Helen Hong hosted the event. Admission to the show cost $5.
Sixteen clubs competed for a first-place trophy, as a panel of five judges evaluated the chosen model from each club on how effectively they incorporated pink into their outfit. Creativity, personality on stage, posing and the model’s ability to answer a trivia question on the spot also served as judging criteria. The clubs paid $25 to participate.
Models made attempts at being the most memorable by being the most outrageous. The Chain Gang’s male model was based on a Victoria’s Secret model and decked out in a bedazzled bra, wings, a pink and white tutu, a hot pink flowered headband and pink leggings.
The Professional Achievements in Nursing designed their outfit to the theme “Saving the world one Band-Aid at a time.” Member Hannah Collins-Lewis, a nursing junior, explained that it took about three hours and 10 boxes of Band-Aids to complete their outfit of a pink dress covered in Band-Aids.
“It’s definitely for a good cause, I feel like the UA in general is involved with putting on events for cancer awareness,” Collins-Lewis said. “We feel it’s a good way to have our members come out and support, have fun, and raise money as well.”
Before the event started, the audience participated in a dance called the wobble and Wilma and Wilbur Wildcat mingled with students. The UA’s Black N’ Blue Hip Hop Crew kicked off the event with a dance routine followed by Wilma and Wilbur strutting their stuff down the aisles of the theater.
The party continued throughout the event with outbursts of “Gangnam Style” and cheering for the models. Freshman Class Council’s theme was “save second base,” and after representing as the group with the largest turnout, they went on to win the competition.
Bea Herron, a 13-year breast cancer and ovarian cancer survivor, spoke on behalf of the Susan G. Komen foundation. She claimed that 85 percent of breast cancer cases are not hereditary and that 1 in 8 women are diagnosed in their lifetime. Herron added that 75 cents of every dollar the foundation raises stays in Arizona to educate, treat and provide screenings to underinsured or uninsured women.
Many students attended to support the cause because they personally knew people who were victims of breast cancer. Giles Smith, a journalism junior, said his grandmother died of breast cancer and he wanted to come to the event to show his support.
