Running shoes, check; pink shirt, check; race number, check; show your support for breast cancer awareness, check.

At 8:00 a.m. last Saturday, over 200 feet walked and ran approximately three miles to show their support for breast cancer awareness at the 3rd annual Zeta Tau Alpha Kats for the Cause 5k Race.

To raise breast cancer awareness, ZTA organized the Kats for the Cause 5k race and sold over 3,000 Pink Out t-shirts to change the color of the Sam Houston stands from orange to pink.

“Breast Cancer awareness education is the ZTA national philanthropy and we teamed up with Sam Houston State University three years ago and wanted to do a Pink Out game,” Cherie Countz, co-chair of Zeta Tau Alpha, said. “We wanted to pink out the stadium to bring awareness and educational materials to students and community members.”

ZTA even teamed up with the NFL for the Fall 2009 season to help create breast cancer awareness at the football games.

Twenty-two teams participated in THINK-PINK! including the Houston Texans, Chicago Bears, New York Giants and Green Bay Packers, according to the Zeta Tau Alpha website.

The Kats for the Cause events included the 5k charity run/walk, a tailgate, the Pink Out at the football game and a half time honoring cancer survivors.

“We have some honorary captains who are breast cancer survivors and every year we have 3 to 5 captains that we honor at half time,” Countz said.

Not only did students participate in the 5k race, but with a shotgun start, the race was lead by cancer survivors. Three-year cancer survivor and SHSU Alumni, Eileen Boaz was present at the 5k and it was because of her story that Roseanne Keathley, Committee Chair of ZTA, wanted to host the Pink Out along with ZTA.

“She became very involved when I was diagnosed with cancer and she was a big support during my treatment and surgeries over the last three years,” Boaz said. “So this awareness project was instituted kind of because of me.”

Many students turned out to show their support for breast cancer awareness and honor family members that were lost to the disease.

“I had a great aunt pass away from breast cancer, so I want to come out every year and show my support,” senior Julieta Banda said.

This year, ZTA raised between $5,000-$6,000, which will be donated to the Zeta Tau Alpha foundation who then disperse it out to all the different breast cancer awareness organizations, such as the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Colleges Against Cancer, American Cancer Society, etc.

In 2009, approximately 269,800 women have died from cancer and 15% of these deaths have been because of breast cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.

By raising awareness and money to find a cure for breast cancer, ZTA is aiding in lowering this percentage.