The Women’s Center is sponsoring several activities for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, spotlighting a problem that affects women of all ages.

One of the main events for the month is the bra decorating contest. Students can go to the Women’s Center, room 322 in the Shepherd Union building, to channel their creativity for the cause.

Students will have from now until Oct. 3 to submit their decorated bras, which will be displayed Oct. 20-24 in the Shepherd Union atrium from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Students will get to vote on the decorated bras during that time.

Other activities for the month include the rubber duck race, which allows students to make a small donation and race a rubber duck for a prize. All proceeds go towards cancer research.

On Oct. 20 an original stage performance in the Wildcat Theater called “Too Young for Breast Cancer” will exhibit the struggle of a girl who was diagnosed with breast cancer at a young age.

These efforts, led by Women’s Center Breast Cancer Awareness chair Jamie Crandal, come from her personal experience with the disease.

Crandal has a few goals in mind involving the activities the center is offering to students.

“The most important thing for me is to get the word out that you don’t have to be 40 to get breast cancer,” Crandal said.

Many advertisements about breast cancer portray only older women. Crandal said most young women don’t think about getting mammograms to make sure that they are healthy.

It’s often true that a history of the disease in a woman’s family makes them more likely to get it later in life. Even if there is no history, it’s still a possibility.

“I personally had no history,” said Crandal, “but I was diagnosed at 33.”

Crandal said when students come to decorate bras for the competition they should have fun, but also learn why they are doing it.

Crandal hopes that through all the planned activities, students become more aware of the facts concerning breast cancer, treatments and where to go for help.

“I have high hopes,” Crandal said. “I hope at least one person that really needs the message will get it and will start taking care of their body in a way that will help them in case they are diagnosed.”