![Brooke Pedersen [second from the right] and Luis Reyes [right] hold banners during the Wrap The Woods event.](https://thebluebanner.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/ELIZABETH_PRITCHITT_IMG_3470-1200x804.jpg)
Students at UNC Asheville ditch the signature bulldog blue and go pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month during a Crafting with Care session as they create trinkets to donate to the Bulldogs for Boobs Rage Room.
What is breast cancer and what are the signs?
According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, breast cancer is a form of cancer that starts as a group of cancer cells that start in the breast and can metastasize to surrounding tissues or other parts of the body.
Invasive breast cancer is estimated to be diagnosed in 316,950 women and 2,800 men, with an additional 59,080 cases of non-invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed, according to the NBCF.
NBCF says the common signs are a change in how the breast or nipple looks or feels, such as a lump, enlarged pores and tenderness. Swelling or shrinkage, unexplained changes in size or shape of the breast and nipple discharge are also common symptoms.
They say an estimated 42,170 women in the U.S. will die from breast cancer in 2025, however, there are over 4 million survivors in the U.S. currently. It is the most common form of cancer in American women.
Bulldogs for Boobs
“People show up and just have a good time listening to music, make trinkets, but for a good cause at the same time,” Student Engagement Community Coordinator David Bahena-Gutierrez said.
Bahena-Gutierrez came up with the idea for Bulldogs for Boobs after hearing about the 4K walk downtown at Pack Square on Oct. 18 and decided the school should get involved, raising money for breast cancer treatment.
“We try our best to accommodate for the students who aren’t able to leave and having this event here on campus has helped a lot,” Bahena-Gutierrez said.
The goal is to sell the trinkets at the Bulldogs for Boobs Rage Room event on Oct. 16. The rage room in Mills Plaza will have the trinket table set up where you can pick a trinket for a $5 donation toward breast cancer treatment after smashing plates.
Prevention and Treatment
The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation said screening and early detection play an important role in detecting breast cancer at an early stage, where survival chances are the highest.
These tests include mammograms, an X-ray image of the breast or a clinical breast exam, a physical examination of the breasts by a doctor. If anything abnormal is found, follow-up tests such as a breast ultrasound or biopsies are performed.
According to the foundation, along with knowing what is normal for your body, healthy lifestyle choices such as maintaining a healthy weight, exercise and limiting alcohol intake can help lessen your risk of breast cancer.
While around four percent of breast cancers occur in women under 40, it is the leading cause of cancer deaths among women ages 20 to 39. The risk increases with age, with most breast cancer and breast cancer deaths occurring in women ages 50 and older, according to BCF.
Crafting with Care
“Our goal is to have something every semester where it’s giving back in some way, shape or form,” said Abby Martin, president of Crafting with Care.
When Bahena-Gutierrez approached Martin, she was already going home for fall break, where she was able to get the supplies from a cheap thrift store.
“We just kept on coming up with stuff right in the moment,” she said. “We were like ‘Oh, we could do that or we could do that!’”
Crafts available were painting rocks, making bracelets, air-dry clay magnets and mini fake terrariums, amongst other things.
Freshman music technology student, Cassidy Bricker, found the event through an Instagram post and hoped to find a community of students with similar interests while making a difference to cause she feels strongly about.
“During this event, I felt the calmest I’ve felt since school started,” she said. “I was able to connect with new people and contribute to a good cause.”
Bricker said she is grateful for the opportunity to raise awareness for breast cancer through making art and it is good for students to volunteer and give back to the community.
“Breast cancer is a horrible illness that affects so many families, and it is incredible to see our school community come together to do our part in raising awareness,” Bricker said.
