Pin the Nipple on the Boob & More at Breastival

Story by Broadside Correspondent Kristen White. Photos by Photography Editor Courtney Erland.

Not only did last Wednesday mark the beginning of October, it also was the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which will be kicked off at George Mason University with the campus’ annual Breastival® from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 8 in the Johnson Center North Plaza. The event, whose theme this year is “Save the Hooters,” provides students with educational information about breast cancer to raise awareness. This festival will include games, food, and prizes to inform students about the dangers of and prevention methods for breast cancer.

Off-campus sponsors and supporters of the event include the Mautner Project, the Breast Cancer Network of Strength, I’m Still Me, the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, the Young Survival Coalition, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and the Tigerlily Foundation. The main on-campus sponsors of this event are the Office of Alcohol, Drug and Health Education, Feminist Ninjas, the Student Nurses’ Association, and Zeta Tau Alpha sorority. Danielle Lapierre, who is the assistant director of the Office of Alcohol, Drug, and Health, is one of the many planners of the event.

Breastival’s main focus is to make the Mason community more aware of how to detect breast cancer and how to prevent it. There will be booths set up around the North Plaza to help inform students about performing self-exams and information on local resources relating to breast cancer will be given to students. There will also be plenty of games and free food to promote this event and get the students involved.

“Dining Services will provide delicious breast shaped cupcakes and tasty cookies. At this year’s Breastival, stress relievers, hanging shower cards, t-shirts, and cups will be given away. All of these items represent our 2008 theme, Save the Hooters,” said Lapierre.

Games will also be available to the students such as “Pin the Nipple on the Boob,” “Guess How Many Gumballs This Bra Can Hold,” “Celebrity Boobs,” “Breast of Show,” “Booballoon Toss,” and finally, “Breast Fact Jeopardy.” Students can win prizes from these games and gain information about breast cancer along the way.

In the Mason Hall Gallery, breast castings from women of the Mason community will be displayed as art between Oct. 27 and 31.

“In addition to the educational materials, fun games and free food and give-aways, with the help of trained casters, participants can even cast their breasts in papier mache,” said Lapierre. This gallery is designed to promote more awareness, while helping women to become more secure with their bodies.

To follow up Breastival®, Breast Health Awareness Workshops in the JC Northwest Second Floor Alcove will take place on Oct. 15 and 21. This event, facilitated by the Breast Cancer Network of Strength, will ensure that the information about detecting breast cancer is broadcast. A question and answer session will be held after the information is presented, along with lunch.

Anyone is welcome to participate and enjoy the festivities that Breastival® offers. For more information on these events, call or e-mail Danielle Lapierre, Assistant Director of the Office of Alcohol, Drug and Health Education, at 703-993-3690 or dlapierr@gmu.edu.