With October recognized as Breast Cancer Awareness month across the country, several organizations around New Mexico State University are hosting events to bring awareness to the campus throughout the month.

NMSU’s Wellness Alcohol and Violence Education program hosted an interactive tabling event for students outside of Corbett Center Student Union on Oct. 9. WAVE teamed up with the NMSU Cancer Outreach Program to not only bring awareness to the disease, but to also educate students about early breast cancer detection.

WAVE’s Health Education Specialist Olivia De Leon said it is important to raise breast cancer awareness at NMSU.

“With millions of people who have been touched by breast cancer, it is important to raise awareness and gain support for this important cause,” De Leon said.

The tabling event by WAVE included distribution of waterproof breast self-exam shower cards and awareness brochures, as well as an interactive activity called “bra pong” where students answered questions about facts, myths and statistics concerning breast cancer.

The Aggie Health and Wellness Center at NMSU will be hosting their walk-in Employee Open House event, where NMSU employees will be able to receive free clinical breast exams in addition to other services that will also be provided at the event.

De Leon is a representative of the upcoming open house and she said she hopes that by the health center offering exams on campus, NMSU employees can take advantage of receiving services on campus.

“Employees are so busy and the convenience of getting a clinical breast exam done on campus saves a lot of time. People are more inclined to seek health services when we remove barriers — time and cost being the major barriers to employees,” De Leon said.

The Beta Nu chapter of the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority at NMSU recognizes breast cancer awareness every October, as their philanthropy centers around breast cancer support and education.

This year, the sorority has several events lined up during Pink Week including Chick-fil-A Give Back Night and Smores Night.

Pink Week will run from October 21-25 and the sorority will be tabling on campus throughout the week. All Greek Life at NMSU will help ZTA during the week by painting pumpkins in the themes of “think pink” and breast cancer awareness.

Once all the pumpkins are painted, ZTA will display them at their Pink Week tabling events. Students will be asked to vote for the best pumpkins and to donate to the sorority’s philanthropy.

ZTA’s Chick-fil-A Give Back Night is on Tuesday, Oct. 22 at the location on University Avenue. Customers that mention ZTA will have part of their payment benefit the sorority’s philanthropy.

On Thursday, Oct. 24, Smores Night will take place at the ZTA house and is open to all members of the community, including NMSU students. Those who attend the event can roast marshmallows and eat smores with ZTA members and purchase Kendra Scott jewelry that will be sold by representatives from the El Paso store location.

ZTA Philanthropy Chair Shelby Fletcher said all proceeds collected throughout October will be donated to their chapter’s philanthropy.

“All of the money we raise is donated to our philanthropy — Breast Cancer Education and Awareness,” Fletcher said. “We focus on doing multiple events during our Pink Week due to the fact that October is breast cancer month.”